2022B01 - Audit planning pressure

Why?

Good audit planning (who does what when) – and its subsequent realization – is essential for an efficient and effective audit production. However, apart from "normal" time-budget or deadline pressure that can arise within the expected timeline of the audit, all kinds of disruptions can occur that prevent the original audit planning from being realized. How auditors respond to such "audit planning pressure" will make the difference between a more or less efficient and effective completion of the audit.

What?

How much audit planning pressure – within and outside the original audit planning – occurs in the audit practice over the past few years? How many audits are completed within the original audit planning – and with how much audit effort? How many audits are not completed within the original audit planning – and how (with what audit effort) is this time-overrun absorbed?

Examining planned versus realized audit effort on three aspects:
- Distribution of audit effort over time
- Concentration of audit effort in (the compilation of) the audit team
- Time pressure in the completion phase of the audit