Report Writing Techniques for Audit Professionals

Report writing is hard! For many auditors, it is their least favorite part of the job. That is because most of us go about it all wrong.  We have bad habits instilled in us from our writing in college that prevent us from communicating effectively.
Skilled auditors require a method that aligns what they experience during the reviewing process with what they compose during the writing process. This report writing CPE course will provide foundation resources that participants can continually turn to during intense, complex audit engagements.

The art of audit report writing demands far more than simply listing the four elements of a finding–criteria, condition, cause, and effect. Adding the fifth element, the recommendation may still be insufficient. This boilerplate approach to writing can threaten independent, critical thinking and undermine the entire audit process, ultimately tarnishing the credibility of the auditor.
This highly specialized CPE webinar will offer a deep and useful toolbox of techniques that auditors can use when noting audit observations, drafting objective work papers, and composing well-structured, detailed, and fluent audit reports.

• To recall IIA Standard 2400, IIA Standard 2410, IIA Standard 2420, IIA Practice Guide
• To discuss the objectives of the interim audit report
• To discuss the executive summary structure
• To discuss fraud report structure
• To discuss the assurance report structure

• Hindrances to effective report writing
• Key IIA Standards for writing audit reports
• Type of audit reports
• Critical principles for writing the audit report
• Various audit report components

This Auditing CPE course is recommended for CPAs, CIAs, Internal and External Auditors, Government Auditors, Audit Managers, or Staff of Auditors interested in effectively communicating the results that can positively influence readers and get the results they are seeking and add value to their clients.

• Accountant
• Accounting Managers
• Auditors
• CPA (Industry)
• CPA - Mid-Size Firm
• CPA - Small Firm
• Entrepreneurial CPA
• Fraud Analyst
• Fraud Examiner
• Fraud Investigator
• Fraud Professionals
• Senior Accountant
• Young CPA

Jonnie Keith has been in auditing for over 50 years. He retired in 2012 as the Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Internal Audit with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in Atlanta, Ga. He served in that capacity for over 10 years and was responsible for administering the overall audit activities. In this position, he was also responsible for the review and approval of all internal audit correspondence including audit reports, executive summaries, internal and external correspondence, etc.

Prior to that, he worked at MARTA as the Operational Audit Manager and Senior Contract Compliance Auditor. He also worked at Norfolk Southern Railway (formerly Southern Railway) as a senior operational auditor and started his career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as a bank examiner.

Jonnie Keith received a BA degree in Economics from Clark Atlanta University (formerly Clark College). His certifications include:

• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
• Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP)
• Certified Internal Control Auditor (CICA)

He has been a volunteer seminar instructor for the National Office of the Institute of Internal Auditors for several years.