Audit report writing course - Suggestions wanted
- Thread starter Adaym
- Start date
While there is a lot of good information out there (see the website on ELSMAR Home page - bottom).
The best teacher is experience. Start looking at supplier response and be critical, focus on root cause and begin the joy of effective writing.
I'd suggest taking a classroom internal auditor course and then coming back and teaching your people, using real-world examples that relate to your business.
Most audit reports and NC statements are awful -- I commend you for trying to do better here.
Most audit reports and NC statements are awful -- I commend you for trying to do better here.
Audit reports are set by the organization for internal auditors. Consultants can develop their own formats. I have seen different versions and noticed they vary widely.
I noticed from your posts that you have been working through the IRCA certification process. IRCA has published a Write Better Audit Reports article.
I suggest you heed IRCA's advice but communicate your message in a language and style that your customer would understand. Internal audit reports are usually much shorter than consultants' reports, for the sake of their ease of use and the fact they may be delivered to a process owner who might not appreciate a long, detailed document.
I noticed from your posts that you have been working through the IRCA certification process. IRCA has published a Write Better Audit Reports article.
I suggest you heed IRCA's advice but communicate your message in a language and style that your customer would understand. Internal audit reports are usually much shorter than consultants' reports, for the sake of their ease of use and the fact they may be delivered to a process owner who might not appreciate a long, detailed document.
What is expected per the standard or per the documented SOP or per the responsible manager statement ....
What is the NC with respect to this expectation... In the audited records, documents, activities observation, auditee statement ....
The reference of the above requirement and NC ....
This much for the NC statement.
What is the NC with respect to this expectation... In the audited records, documents, activities observation, auditee statement ....
The reference of the above requirement and NC ....
This much for the NC statement.
Adaym,
I think you need more practice and experience than formal schooling.
Internal audit reports should be relatively brief. The auditees should not be learning much from the report, they should already know how things went and what was found. No surprises in the audit report!
My summary reports include participants, strengths, OFI's, observations, and major and minor nonconformities.
The latter 2 items are what are most often poorly written, IMO. I list the requirement, the finding, and the objective evidence supporting the finding. Use the golden rule -- make your audit reports look like what you would like to see given to you.
You could write up a hypothetical report and submit it here for critique.
I think you need more practice and experience than formal schooling.
Internal audit reports should be relatively brief. The auditees should not be learning much from the report, they should already know how things went and what was found. No surprises in the audit report!
My summary reports include participants, strengths, OFI's, observations, and major and minor nonconformities.
The latter 2 items are what are most often poorly written, IMO. I list the requirement, the finding, and the objective evidence supporting the finding. Use the golden rule -- make your audit reports look like what you would like to see given to you.
You could write up a hypothetical report and submit it here for critique.
..and that changes everyday with the same reviewer or ANAB observer.
info that should be in your report:
Just state the facts, have plenty of objective evidence to support your report and ... after completing the report - read it backwards to see if it makes sense
I am not aware of any online course for this, but I would offer (expanding on the tip from Jen Kirley) for you to familiarize yourself with two of the papers:
Also, remember who is the "intended audience" for the reports. Write them in a way that makes the documents appealing to be read because they contain content and language that entice the recipients to actually read it.
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