Internal audit analytics - data and visualisation

Presented by Mindgrove

The digitisation of organisations is forcing internal auditors to rethink their approach to data and become more ‘hands–on’. This course takes you on a rapid tour of how to get the most out of MS Excel software. Designed around the needs of novices and newcomers to this field, you’ll learn tips and tricks to speed up your work, particularly in the control testing phase of an audit.

Who should attend?

This course is open to all. NOTE: This is a 'hands–on' course and each delegate must bring a laptop to the course with an installed copy of Microsoft Office version 2010 or later. Each delegate must also ensure that they are authorised and able to use working data (comprising example Excel, PDF, TXT and Access files from a provided on–course memory stick or, alternatively, from data pre–supplied as an email attachment) and are able to access, at least, the standard features of a standard installation of Microsoft Excel. The use of a mouse is recommended for some exercises as some features within Microsoft Office are unable to be accessed through a touchpad. Delegates who arrive on course without these defined capabilities either will not be able to proceed or will only be able to enjoy partial course content.

What will I learn?

Upon completion you will be able to:

• check up to 100% of the data available to you electronically
• put vital components of Office to work in the most efficient manner
• manage and manipulate data to create persuasive results during the fieldwork phase of an audit.

The course is accompanied by a manual that has course text and a practice data to take away.

Course programme

Data analytics and handling – working directly with Excel

• checking spreadsheet integrity – common sources of error
• invalid data and formulae precedents
• recording macros
• re‐performance and virtual calculations – a key audit skill
• shortcuts and speed–up keys – how to remember them
• Excel statistics – what do you get out of the box?
• filtering and stratification – how to do it?
• Pivot tables, Pivot charts and Slicers – what are they and how do they help?
• creating an audit workpaper within Excel
• simple and complex sortation, sorting by other than value.

Data analytics and handling – extras through Excel

• fuzzy data matching – an explanation of how the tool works and how to acquire it
• replicating what other paid–for software can do by substituting EXCEL
• formulae – simple examples of how they work and how to put them into use.

Data graphics – colour and imagery through Excel

• conditional formatting – correct, incorrect, high and low values, special searches
• using colour, icons, and thematic schemes
• creating charts – what might be suitable?
• embedding charts and images in your reports.

External data sources

• connecting with external data – why do this?
• data import into EXCEL from text, tables, proprietary databases, external websites
• the JET engine and MSQRY
• creating a query from tables and fields and editing
• editing queries using Power Editor and bringing results into EXCEL
• transforming data and creating transformation rules
• interacting with data sources to refresh data
• creating dashboards using free free–standing products such as Power BI and Tableau.

CPE competency areas covered

• Environment (Information technology)

7 CPE points

Full price

Member: £688 + VAT
Non-member: £924 + VAT

SAVE 20% by undertaking this course virtually