{"id":987,"date":"2020-04-10T16:04:41","date_gmt":"2020-04-10T16:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alminawi.com\/?p=987"},"modified":"2025-12-07T18:21:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T18:21:07","slug":"987-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/?p=987","title":{"rendered":"T&#038;Ts Series G, Internal Audit, Collaboration &#038; Engagement, Episode G1\u2014Engagement Activities"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 data-start=\"111\" data-end=\"187\"><strong data-start=\"115\" data-end=\"187\">Introduction: A Practical Tool for Strengthening Audit Relationships<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"685\">In internal auditing, <strong data-start=\"211\" data-end=\"241\">Collaboration &amp; Engagement<\/strong> refers to the active, structured involvement of all stakeholders\u2014auditors, management, process owners, and executive leadership\u2014throughout the audit lifecycle. Effective collaboration ensures that expectations are managed, input is gathered, risks are clarified early, and findings are constructively resolved. This is especially critical in a hybrid or remote work environment where digital tools often serve as the foundation for engagement.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"687\" data-end=\"1015\">Rather than relying on scattered emails and ad hoc meetings, internal audit teams are increasingly using structured collaboration templates and tools to schedule touchpoints, log feedback, track responses, and maintain transparency. These tools not only build trust but also lead to smoother audits and better business outcomes.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"1017\" data-end=\"1020\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"1022\" data-end=\"1088\"><strong data-start=\"1026\" data-end=\"1088\">Fictitious Dataset: ACME Internal Audit Engagement Example<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1090\" data-end=\"1341\">For this example, we\u2019ll use ACME Corporation.<br data-start=\"1135\" data-end=\"1138\" \/>Audit Team Lead: <strong data-start=\"1155\" data-end=\"1164\">Auren<\/strong><br data-start=\"1164\" data-end=\"1167\" \/>Project Manager: <strong data-start=\"1184\" data-end=\"1192\">Aven<\/strong><br data-start=\"1192\" data-end=\"1195\" \/>CEO: <strong data-start=\"1200\" data-end=\"1209\">Liora<\/strong><br data-start=\"1209\" data-end=\"1212\" \/>Functional Managers: <strong data-start=\"1233\" data-end=\"1275\">Rafiq (Finance), Marla (IT), Jane (HR)<\/strong><br data-start=\"1275\" data-end=\"1278\" \/>Audit Topic: <strong data-start=\"1291\" data-end=\"1341\">Cybersecurity Access Control Audit (Q2 FY2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1343\" data-end=\"1374\">Audit Timeline: April\u2013June 2025<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1376\" data-end=\"1402\">Key Engagement Activities:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1403\" data-end=\"1625\">\n<li data-start=\"1403\" data-end=\"1447\">\n<p data-start=\"1405\" data-end=\"1447\"><strong data-start=\"1405\" data-end=\"1431\">Kick-off Meeting Date:<\/strong> April 3, 2025<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1448\" data-end=\"1494\">\n<p data-start=\"1450\" data-end=\"1494\"><strong data-start=\"1450\" data-end=\"1477\">Stakeholder Inputs Due:<\/strong> April 14, 2025<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1495\" data-end=\"1534\">\n<p data-start=\"1497\" data-end=\"1534\"><strong data-start=\"1497\" data-end=\"1520\">Mid-Audit Check-In:<\/strong> May 5, 2025<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1535\" data-end=\"1577\">\n<p data-start=\"1537\" data-end=\"1577\"><strong data-start=\"1537\" data-end=\"1561\">Findings Discussion:<\/strong> June 10, 2025<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1578\" data-end=\"1625\">\n<p data-start=\"1580\" data-end=\"1625\"><strong data-start=\"1580\" data-end=\"1609\">Report Submission to CEO:<\/strong> June 25, 2025<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-start=\"1627\" data-end=\"1630\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"1632\" data-end=\"1674\"><strong data-start=\"1636\" data-end=\"1674\">Template and Practical Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4 data-start=\"1676\" data-end=\"1706\"><strong data-start=\"1681\" data-end=\"1704\">Recommended Format:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"1707\" data-end=\"1855\">Use <strong data-start=\"1711\" data-end=\"1720\">Excel<\/strong> with dropdowns and conditional formatting to track and visualize engagement milestones, responsible parties, deadlines, and responses.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1857\" data-end=\"1883\"><strong data-start=\"1862\" data-end=\"1883\">Template Columns:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul data-start=\"1884\" data-end=\"2054\">\n<li data-start=\"1884\" data-end=\"1905\">\n<p data-start=\"1886\" data-end=\"1905\">Engagement Activity<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1906\" data-end=\"1919\">\n<p data-start=\"1908\" data-end=\"1919\">Stakeholder<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1920\" data-end=\"1930\">\n<p data-start=\"1922\" data-end=\"1930\">Due Date<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1931\" data-end=\"1986\">\n<p data-start=\"1933\" data-end=\"1986\">Status (Not Started, In Progress, Completed, Delayed)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1987\" data-end=\"2003\">\n<p data-start=\"1989\" data-end=\"2003\">Notes\/Comments<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2004\" data-end=\"2054\">\n<p data-start=\"2006\" data-end=\"2054\">Link to Supporting Document (optional hyperlink)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2056\" data-end=\"2245\">This table allows the internal audit team to stay aligned with ACME\u2019s management during each phase of the audit. Conditional formatting can color-code task statuses (e.g., red for delayed).<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"2247\" data-end=\"2268\"><strong data-start=\"2252\" data-end=\"2268\">Application:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"2270\" data-end=\"2542\">During the <strong data-start=\"2281\" data-end=\"2319\">Cybersecurity Access Control Audit<\/strong>, Auren and Aven faced recurring delays from IT due to lack of clarity on deliverables. To prevent further setbacks, they implemented a <strong data-start=\"2455\" data-end=\"2493\">Collaboration &amp; Engagement Tracker<\/strong> in Excel and shared it live via Microsoft Teams.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2544\" data-end=\"2605\">Each stakeholder, including Marla from IT, could clearly see:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2606\" data-end=\"2711\">\n<li data-start=\"2606\" data-end=\"2634\">\n<p data-start=\"2608\" data-end=\"2634\">When their inputs were due<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2635\" data-end=\"2678\">\n<p data-start=\"2637\" data-end=\"2678\">What documents or decisions were required<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2679\" data-end=\"2711\">\n<p data-start=\"2681\" data-end=\"2711\">The impact of missed deadlines<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2713\" data-end=\"2872\">Marla updated the status of her deliverables weekly. Jane from HR uploaded access logs directly into the shared folder and noted their location in the tracker.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2874\" data-end=\"3106\">Liora, ACME\u2019s CEO, used the tracker during her monthly review to identify at-risk deadlines and ask questions proactively. The result? Fewer surprises at the reporting stage and a stronger partnership between audit and the business.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2874\" data-end=\"3106\">_________<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2874\" data-end=\"3106\">Upon reading the <a href=\"https:\/\/americanpro.org\/?page_id=105\">Disclaimer<\/a>, a reader may click the link below to download an example of a relevant tool:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2874\" data-end=\"3106\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americanpro.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/TTs-Series-G-Internal-Audit-Reporting-Communication-Episode-G1\u2014-Collaboration-Engagement.xlsx\">T&amp;Ts Series G, Internal Audit, Reporting &amp; Communication, Episode G1\u2014 Collaboration &amp; Engagement<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction: A Practical Tool for Strengthening Audit Relationships In internal auditing, Collaboration &amp; Engagement refers to the active, structured involvement of all stakeholders\u2014auditors, management, process owners, and executive leadership\u2014throughout the audit lifecycle. Effective collaboration ensures that expectations are managed, input is gathered, risks are clarified early, and findings are constructively resolved. This is especially critical [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":831,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tt-internal-audit"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GIF-10.gif","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=987"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1286,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/987\/revisions\/1286"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e.americanpro.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}