Course Information
Getting the Message Across
Course Description
Well-written audit reports can be the difference between an audit group that is perceived as adding value and one that merely exists as required compliance. Unfortunately, delivering audit reports that contain objective-driven, direct, concise, evidence-backed information continues to be a challenge for even the most seasoned internal auditors. Audit reports often fail to deliver the intended message for a multitude of reasons, including their length, lack of a clear objective, overabundance of audit lingo and terminology, buried or lost messages, and not understanding the needs of audience.
This interactive course will address the challenges commonly associated with audit report writing and teach the skills that will ensure your audit reports will be read and your message received as intended. Finally, this course presents the Two-Page Audit Report methodology, which provides a format and formula that ensures your audit reports get read and understood by any audience, including across the highest levels of the organization.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
• Identifying what constitutes a bad report, a good report and an excellent report
• Fully understanding the audience and their needs
• Aligning reporting objectives with business objectives
• How to properly plan the report
• The Two-Page Audit Report—your readers will thank you
• Using executive summaries
• Using appendices and attachments to reduce length
• Learn effective editing and proofreading
Understanding the Difference Between Good, Bad, and Excellent reports
• Report characteristics
• Good, bad, ugly, and excellent reports
• Report organization and why it matters
• Determining content
• Presentation styles and how to choose
• Visual presentation
Setting Objectives
• Defining objectives – planning the audit and the report
• Aligning audit objectives with business objectives
• Ensuring audit report objectives continue to align with business and audit objectives
• Understanding your audience
• Understanding how the report will be used
The Two-Page Audit Report
• Concise report delivery for executives and board members
• How to determine what to include and exclude
• Focusing on the business and not the audit work
• Presentation styles for concise reports
• Tools, tips, and techniques for concise reports
Executive Summaries
• What makes the cut?
• Determining the level of detail and support
• Using language targeted to executives
• Length and presentation style
Creating the Report
• Starting with the 5Cs
• Designing an assembly process – Organization and layout
• Using appendices and attachments
• Report formats
• Visual reporting
• Virtual reporting
Writing Skills and Techniques
• Focus and framing of topic—business perspective
• Developing key points
• Eliminating audit lingo and using business language
• Editing versus proofreading
• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Concise and concrete yet compelling language
• Editing—when enough is enough
Instructors
CIA, CPA, CFE, CGMA
Hal is an independent consultant delivering professional accounting and auditing consultation and development, to create high performing organizations and individuals. Clients include the Institute of Internal Auditors and its members and the University of North Carolina in the United States and abroad. He consults with Internal Audit organizations to improve performance and create value. His consulting services include developing strategic business plans across organizations and facilitating continuing education programs for accountants, leadership and auditors. Mr. Manasa also serves on several Board Audit Committees in the Middle East.
Hal was formerly an Associate Professor at Winthrop and Clemson Universities where he taught accounting, auditing, income tax, entrepreneurship, global business and financial planning in the graduate and undergraduate programs.
In addition, he has worked as a Senior Audit Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Florida and the Middle East, served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Miami Parking System and Assistant City Manager for the City of Homestead, Florida. Mr. Manasa spent fifteen years working for Saudi Aramco (formerly the Arabian American Oil Company) in Saudi Arabia, where he served as an Internal Audit Division Manager, an internal consultant to: the Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President for Exploration and the Vice President for Medical. Hal also serves as a seminar facilitator for the IIA.
Hal holds a BA in Accounting from the University of West Florida and an MA in Economics from the University of Oklahoma. He is a licensed CPA in North Carolina, a Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.
Hal’s professional involvement include past president of the IIA chapter in Saudi Arabia, the chair of the research committee of the Charlotte IIA Chapter, Treasurer of the Aramco Employees Association, member of the Rotary Club in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, and school board member at St. Joseph Catholic School in Anderson, SC and The Aramco School system in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He serves on the volunteer Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) providing a taxpayer perspective to the IRS and is an arbitrator for FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).
Additional Information
TAC Rule 523.142(g) requires the CPE Sponsor to monitor individual attendance and assign the correct number of CPE credits. Participants will be asked to document their time of arrival and departure in compliance with this Rule. Additionally, attendance will be monitored throughout the day and CPE certificates will reflect actual attendance of each participant.
If you are making travel plans to come to Austin, we recommend making "refundable" air and hotel reservations or waiting until 14 days before the class to actually book your reservations. Courses are occasionally canceled or rescheduled due to low enrollment. We determine whether a course has enough participants 16 days prior to the course date. If we cancel or reschedule, we will email the participant and his or her billing contact no later than 14 days before the original class date.
The course coordinator will contact you with parking information. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.
Vending machines with Coca-Cola products and various snack items are available. There is also a refrigerator and microwave in our coffee bar area. Feel free to bring in your own drinks and food if you prefer.
You might want to bring a light sweater or jacket, as room temperatures vary.
To see answers to our Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://www.sao.texas.gov/training/faq.html.