The Primary Benefit of Issuing Audit Findings with Action Plans, Owners, and Target Dates

A.

The PRIMARY benefit of an audit approach which requires reported findings to be issued together with related action plans, owners, and target dates is that it establishes accountability for the action plans.

When an audit is conducted, the purpose is to evaluate and provide feedback on the effectiveness of controls and processes within an organization. After conducting the audit, the auditors typically prepare a report that outlines the findings, including any issues or deficiencies identified, and recommendations for remediation.

By requiring that the audit report includes action plans, owners, and target dates, the auditors are ensuring that the recommendations are not just theoretical, but are actually put into practice. The action plans describe the specific steps that need to be taken to address the issues or deficiencies identified during the audit, and the target dates provide a timeline for completion.

Additionally, by assigning owners to the action plans, the auditors are clearly identifying who is responsible for implementing the recommendations. This ensures that the appropriate parties are held accountable for the actions that need to be taken.

Moreover, requiring related action plans to be issued along with reported findings also facilitates easier audit follow-up. Auditors can easily track the progress of the implementation of the action plans, and if any issues or delays arise, they can be addressed promptly.

Therefore, the PRIMARY benefit of requiring reported findings to be issued together with related action plans, owners, and target dates is that it establishes accountability for the action plans, which in turn ensures that the recommended changes are actually implemented and tracked effectively.