An audit is not something you can just do, unfortunately we all know that. But you do have to successfully pass audits if you want to meet certain norms, certifications, standards and quality marks as an organization. Nowadays, it has become unthinkable for many organizations not to do an audit, which means that (annual) preparation for an audit has become a normal part of many business operations. It is therefore of course crucial to know exactly what an audit entails and how you can best prepare for it.

What is an audit?

Let’s first go back to the basics; what exactly is an audit? An audit is a systematic or periodic check that is carried out by an auditor. An audit consists of a series of requirements, checklists and questionnaires that form the basis for the investigation and thus test whether an organization adheres to certain rules or deviates from these rules. Auditors therefore check whether your organization behaves as it should and record possible structural deviations and how serious these deviations are in a report. An audit shows a certain degree of transparency and initiative of an organization that is highly valued these days. So if you have the possibility to have an audit carried out or are seriously considering it, we always highly recommend this. By having audits carried out and certifying for standards and criteria, you show that you as an organization adhere to the rules and are open to criticism and/or improvements.

Internal & External audits

Audits come in many different shapes and sizes and can be both internal and external. An internal audit is really focused on checking and therefore also improving the internal organization and is often organized by the  responsible manager. However, external consultants are almost always hired for this, especially when it comes to demonstrating whether your organization complies with certain standards such as the ISOs. An external audit, on the other hand, is carried out by external certification bodies that determine whether an organization meets certain requirements and does not provide advice. In this case, an independent party periodically checks whether you meet certain certification requirements; think of legal requirements, environmental and regulations concerning working conditions or certain standards.

Tips & tricks for a good audit preparation

As promised, we will now provide some useful tips and tricks for a good preparation for an internal or external audit.

1. The first and most important thing when preparing for an audit is that you start on time.

Always start a few months in advance to be able to prepare everything well for an auditor. For an audit, it is important that you have been able to keep track of all criteria and points that will be assessed over a period of time, evaluated and, where possible, improved for the audit. Therefore, start (if you are not already doing so) in good time with recording processes, tasks, registrations, reports and with transparent document management.

2. Make sure that all necessary documents, overviews and employees are easily available before and during the audit.

It is very important that you collect, update and clearly record all necessary information for the audit so that it is quickly available. If you have this in order, an audit will run much more smoothly. In addition, it is important that all employees who are involved in important information/parts of the audit are of course present during the audit.

3. Whenever possible, we advise people to start with an audit management system as soon as possible.

When you purchase an audit management system, it not only helps a lot with collecting, organizing, evaluating and improving process information for audits, but also for organizing the rest of the (process) information within an organization. Two birds with one stone!

At INBISCO we offer an audit management system that makes all tasks regarding audit preparations completely accessible, clear and easier. With our software you will have ISO or Vca certifications in no time; so request a free demo.

4. Inform everyone well.

This is an important part of an audit; make sure that everyone knows in time that an audit is coming and is well prepared for it. During audits, questions are often asked to managers/employees responsible for the most important parts of the audit, but general employees can also be asked questions. So make sure that everyone is aware of this. Finally, it is also very useful to record who does what and is responsible for what before and during the audit.

5. Stick to the normal procedure and do not do anything differently than normal.

Even though you are of course well prepared for an audit and it is possible that you have already improved things in the process, it is important that you simply use the normal procedure during the audit. If you do not use your normal procedure, the auditors will often notice this and this will not have a positive influence on the audit result…

6. Show ‘everything’.

In other words; be transparent and show auditors more than just the most important departments. This shows that you are open, transparent and proud of what you have achieved. Auditors quickly notice when an organization is not honest about their business operations and this also does not have a positive effect. So always be well prepared and honest. An auditor always wants to see your organization succeed (they are just normal people, really).

7. If you receive comments after the first audit and certain corrections are needed to still pass your audit; then delve into this thoroughly and start on this in good time.

If you tackle your comments well and can demonstrate this in good time, you can still pass your audit.

If you have prepared for your first audit, possibly with an audit management system, preparing for the following audits will be much easier. We therefore advise you to automate the audit preparation as much as possible and set up a good audit process. This way you will have that certification in your pocket in no time!

Want to know more about our audit management system? Don’t hesitate to contact us or request a free demo!