Tools
The following tools were published on KnowledgeLeader this week:
Sustainability Policy
Our Sustainability Policy provides a clear framework for integrating sustainability principles into all levels of company operations. The policy aims to meet current needs without compromising future resources, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable development and systems. It outlines the responsibility of all employees, from the board of directors to management, in implementing these policies and procedures.
System, Database and Application Administrator Policy
Protect your IT infrastructure and ensure ethical behavior regarding sensitive data with our System, Database and Application Administrator Policy. It distinctly outlines the roles, responsibilities and ethical expectations of system, database and application administrators, including third-party vendors. The policy covers specific privileges granted to administrators, their obligations concerning sensitive data security, service account policies and password compliance rules.
Business Sales Operations Review Report
Enhance the efficiency and compliance of sales operations within your business with our Business Sales Operations Review Report, which systematically addresses various critical areas such as order fulfillment, invoicing, sales processing and customer relationship management (CRM) system usage. This document offers detailed observations alongside actionable recommendations aimed at refining business strategies, optimizing operational policies, and ensuring robust data handling and reporting practices.
Consumer Credit Lending Audit Work Program
This tool contains two work program samples that highlight general steps an organization should follow to effectively manage consumer credit lending. Sample steps include recalculating the consumer credit board delinquent report and tracing applicable figures to the previous month’s report, tracing applicable figures to the delinquent loan trial balance, recalculating all the percentages and noting any discrepancies, and preparing a summary of all general ledger accounts of the consumer credit department.
COBRA Audit Work Program
Our COBRA Audit Work Program can be used by companies to perform audits on their COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) compliance practices. This involves ensuring the company's adherence to mandated health insurance coverage for employees after job loss or other qualifying events. It includes a series of procedures on obtaining formal documentation of the company's health plan and COBRA policy and verifying vendor selection.
Healthcare Dependents Audit Work Program
Audit, optimize and ensure compliance in your healthcare dependents process with our Healthcare Dependents Audit Work Program. The document outlines various tests and procedures that can be employed to ensure compliance with legal stipulations such as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), among other regulations.
Publications
KnowledgeLeader has also published several publications this week.
Findings From a SOX Compliance Poll of Audit and Finance Executives and Professionals
It’s been more than two decades since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was created to enhance corporate governance and restore investor confidence following several financial scandals involving publicly traded companies. The key takeaways in this whitepaper are from an interactive poll of more than 1,500 audit and finance executives and professionals who attended a webinar on SOX innovation conducted by Protiviti and AuditBoard, a leading cloud-based platform transforming audit, risk, compliance and ESG management.
Audit Quality and QC1000
These aren’t easy times to be an auditor because of the rapid pace of change, the greying of the workforce, dramatic declines in new CPAs, new regulations, complexity in accounting rules and practices, ever-widening scope of work, aggressive regulators, and technology. It’s no wonder that rates of deficiencies of the PCAOB inspections are steadily rising. In this article, Audit Analytics examines how the new QC1000 standard transforms audit quality control, requiring firms to rigorously assess risks and document processes.
CPO or No? Protiviti’s Tom Moore on the Evolution of the Privacy Role and Its Uncertain Future
When Google, a company estimated to hold between 10 and 15 exabytes of data — or the storage power of about 30 million PCs — makes a potentially game-changing decision regarding privacy, it’s probably a good idea for the rest of us to take note. Privacy should not be a reactive function. Customers want to collaborate with companies that they trust, and protecting an individual’s privacy leads to trust. Read this article to learn from Protiviti’s Tom Moore on the uncertain future of the chief privacy officer.
Recommended Resources
This list of recommended resources from the web may be of interest to you. Click each link to learn more.
- SEC Strengthens Requirements for Response to Data Breaches
- Got Data Management? Growing Demand for Trusted ESG Reporting Requires M&D
- While Big M&A Deals Abound, Many Smaller Ones Hit Pause Button