Internal Audit vs. Internal Quality Audit - What is the difference

[flybyscy]

Based on the last reply can the Internal Audit function and the Quality Assurance function be part of one departemet in an organization or should they be seperate and not reporting to the same person?

 

[amanbhai]

both of these terms are used interchangable.
we use both terms for the quality auditing. However, in some organizations when we say internal audit we are taken as financial audit whereas internal quality audit is taken as system audit relating to ISO 9001, 14001 etc.

 

[AndyN]

Based on the last reply can the Internal Audit function and the Quality Assurance function be part of one department in an organization or should they be separate and not reporting to the same person?

If you mean internal quality systems audits, they are part of the 'assurance' of the system, so probably fall under the Quality Assurance department. However, they shouldn't be done EXCLUSIVELY by the Quality dept.

 

[Shady M Salman]

Hi Guys,

i am facing the same scenario. however, most of the replies did not address the question.

in most of the organizations there is a department called internal auditing, and it is taking care of auditing almost everything in the organization but focusing in 2 areas 1. financial 2. compliance.

whereas the quality internal audits focus on the processes and the quality of complying with the defined processes/ or the quality system in place, as per the ISO standards or internal quality system in place.

This is what I understand. however, i am seeking others to define what the internal audit department does in their organizations in order to differentiate it from other internal quality / ISO audit.

Thanks for all your support in advance.

 

[somashekar]

Hi Guys,

i am facing the same scenario. however, most of the replies did not address the question.

in most of the organizations there is a department called internal auditing, and it is taking care of auditing almost everything in the organization but focusing in 2 areas 1. financial 2. compliance.

whereas the quality internal audits focus on the processes and the quality of complying with the defined processes/ or the quality system in place, as per the ISO standards or internal quality system in place.

This is what I understand. however, i am seeking others to define what the internal audit department does in their organizations in order to differentiate it from other internal quality / ISO audit.

Thanks for all your support in advance.

When a QMS is being established, one of the requirement is also to build a QMS auditor's pool that will be trained to audit the QMS apart from the other tasks they normally perform. This has two purposes.
One is that you have a pool of auditors who audit the QMS per an Internal audit program drawn out. The other more bigger purpose is that these same auditors in their normal work area will be able to build a better system as they understand the QMS holistically.
You can always outsource your QMS audit, which will meet the first purpose.
An established audit department is for the finance / accounts audit that is mandatory for organizations as they grow in size. These audits are further seen by the company chartered accounts and reported in the annual reports as a part of the public company statutory requirements.

 

[Ajit Basrur]

Hi Guys,

i am facing the same scenario. however, most of the replies did not address the question.

in most of the organizations there is a department called internal auditing, and it is taking care of auditing almost everything in the organization but focusing in 2 areas 1. financial 2. compliance.

whereas the quality internal audits focus on the processes and the quality of complying with the defined processes/ or the quality system in place, as per the ISO standards or internal quality system in place.

This is what I understand. however, i am seeking others to define what the internal audit department does in their organizations in order to differentiate it from other internal quality / ISO audit.

Thanks for all your support in advance.

This could differ from one organization to another - some may have a centralized dept called "Internal Auditing" and have QMS auditors in there whilst others could have Quality Auditing seperated and clubbed under Quality function.

I would say that the second option is more prevalent.

 

[Randy]

They can mean the same or have different meaning. You can call it the "Duck check" or the "How are we doing looksie?"

Just be able to define what you are doing, why you are doing it and let people invlved know.

It doesn't matter and it's not any bodies business but yours.

 

[ssz102]

i think inner audit is compliance financial checking in mostly company

internal quality audit is for product and process and system includiing ISO9000, EHS audit

 

[lacarrye]

Internal audits may be anything (process, financials, HR), Quality audit, your quality system is audited. On initial assesments, when companies begin aligning with quality, the company is audited against the closer QMS according to its field of operation. (ISO9000, HACCP, ISO14000, GMP).

John Ladmark

 

[insect warfare]

To me, the most obvious difference is the number of words (2 vs. 3)

Other than that, nothing else really stands out. They are one and the same. There is nothing else I can say that the others before me have not said already...

Brian