The Audit Process

Audit Reporting and Report Writing Resources

 
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The audit report communicates the results of the audit work. For that reason alone it is perhaps one of the most important parts of the audit process. It is important because it is what the department and senior management sees, and in some cases may be the only product of our work that management receives. If written and communicated well, it can act as a positive change agent prompting management to take corrective action.

Writing an effective audit report starts with a clear understanding of how the report will be used, viewed, acted upon by department management. Audit reports have three major objectives:

  • Inform: To make department management aware of a situation by communicating the results of our audit work.
  • Persuade: To convince department management that our comments are valid and worthwhile.
  • Results: To convince department managers to take appropriate action.

If you have tools or resources that would make this page an effective resource please send them to editor @ auditnet.org. 

 Additional Resources for Writing

 

Audit Report Writing Guide

Audit Report Template

Sample Investigative Audit Report from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Office of University Audits

Sample One Page Audit Report from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of University Audits

Sample Report Format from the University of Texas Systems Audit Office

Report Issuance Control Sheet Template  from the University of Texas Systems Audit Office

Report Cover Template  from the University of Texas Systems Audit Office

Report Letter Sample Format  from the University of Texas Systems Audit Office

Guidelines and Example Report Formats for 9-1-1 Fund Audits

Writing

The Plain Train www.web.net/~plain/PlainTrain

Write Guru http://www.imahal.com/education/write_guru/mainpage.htm

Plain Language www.plainlanguage.gov

Grammar & Punctuation (includes active/passive voice)

The Grammar Slammer http://englishplus.com/grammar/index.htm  

OWL (Online Writing Lab--Purdue University http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_actpass.html

Grammar Handbook, University of Illinois

Guide to Grammar and Style, by Jack Lynch http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/p.html

Daily Grammar http://www.dailygrammar.com/121to125.shtml

Capital Community College Foundation  http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

Englishclub.com http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/index.htm

Reference Books

Chicago Manual of Style http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/cmosfaq.html

The Tongue and Quill http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/33/afh33-337/afh33-337.pdf

Bartleby.com References http://www.bartleby.com/reference/

For Federal Government users

U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual http://www.gpoaccess.gov/stylemanual/index.html

Manual for Written Material (DoD 5110.4-M )