The Audit Process

The internal audit process is something that most people that are audited are often only aware of when the auditors are on site and this can often give a limited picture of our whole cycle of work. The Internal Audit Service at the University of Birmingham is committed to providing a service that includes constructive involvement and communication between you (our audit client) and us. The step-by-step guide provided below identifies the stages of an audit and highlights the potential for you to become involved in the process. We have found that things work best when unit managers and Internal Audit develop a good working relationship based on clear and continuing communication.
Most audits follow a fairly well-established pattern that consist of:
Planning
Fieldwork
Reporting
Follow-up
Your involvement is crucial to us at each of the four stages identified above. Specifically, audits are often viewed as something that happens to a section or service but you do have a significant input and influence upon the whole process. As a result, this does mean a small amount of time may be diverted from your usual routines. However, we are committed to minimising the impact of this and any disruption to your activities.