10 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Auditing Software

A lot of work goes into scheduling, executing, and managing internal evaluations, regardless of a company’s size.

Platforms created specifically for lightening the inspections load offer several benefits that help soothe the pain points, from saving time or money to managing workloads.

Here are ten reasons your business should invest in auditing software:

1. Eliminate your backlog

Traditional auditing methods tend to generate piles of paperwork, and often there are critical work orders and important schedules buried beneath.

When an audit is completed, the results should immediately tell workers what to do. Did an asset fail an audit? Who is responsible, and how should they fix it? The software cuts the time-to-decision and gets right to the point.

2. Keep fixed deadlines

Imagine you run a real estate inspection company, and you’ve got a team of auditors working around the clock to handle everything from sales to repossessions. The last thing you want is to break a deal by missing the inspection window.

With the right audit software, field workers don’t need to think twice about their next assignment. They simply sync up to a cloud, download their day’s tasks, and get moving. No more missed deadlines, no more confusion.

3. Communicate results

Take the above housing inspection example: even if an evaluator emails audit results directly from the property, you’re counting on each recipient to track and manage their respective inboxes. With a large enough enterprise, that’s countless emails spread across dozens of inboxes every week– far too many to be reliable.

Instead of depending on individuals for recordkeeping, software platforms allow participants to share the relevant data all in one place. No more scanners, no more misspelt email addresses.

4. Manage tasks

Supervisors need an effective method for distributing tasks to their auditors. With mobile auditing software, it’s as easy as adding it to a worker’s task list. By accessing a user portal, field operators can sync tasks and upload their results from one interface.

5. Automate workflow

Managers can’t be expected to set task lists 24/7. It’s been demonstrably proven that automating workflows increases productivity and saves money. In fact, you lose as much as 40% efficiency to unsupervised task-switching alone. The right mobile software will ensure that tasks automatically go out to the right people at the right times.

Say, for instance, an audit comes back with a red flag that requires further investigation. Setting up parameters for automated workflow allows managers to maintain oversight even if they’re not handling it personally. Most importantly, it separates jobs so that no one employee is forced to multi-task.

6. Maintain accountability

‘Pencil whipping’- that is, filling out reports from your couch over the weekend rather than doing it on the job is a real problem in some industries. Intelligent auditing software will offer features like GPS fencing and time and date stamps to ensure employees know when and where they claim while reports are filed.

7. Avoid errors

Say goodbye to blank form fields, typos, and data double entry. It’s already been proven that automated forms processing is a viable alternative to double manual entry as far as accuracy. Where it saves your workers time and effort, however, it’s obviously superior.

Digital forms can be configured to guide users to only the information they need, double-check info with field validations and prevent errors. With custom branching logic and piping, auditors won’t have to sift through pages of irrelevant forms– an excellent mobile solution will hide anything that isn’t pertinent.

8. Stay mobile

Software shouldn’t be restricted to the home office. Good mobile auditing platforms are committed to an offline-first operation, meaning that offline functionality isn’t just a “feature”– it’s built into the ground floor.

No matter where your auditors go, they can maintain full use of their forms with the correct auditing application.

9. Control access

Don’t let your (or your customer’s) data fall into the wrong hands. Great auditing software gives you the option to host your own forms on the premises rather than placing them at the mercy of some third-party service.

Look for features like account controls and tiered administrative tools. It should be simple and easy to provide just the right level of access to all your users.

10. Understand your data

The best auditing software will give you analytical tools like an integrated business intelligence dashboard to see trends over time. What’s the point of gathering all those evaluations if you can’t gain any insight? Seek out solutions that include data visualization like charts and graphs and one that allows you to see a location-by-location breakdown.

Conclusion

A small investment can make a big difference in the way you handle auditing. Before you dive into the deep end, though, take a hard look at your company’s needs and think about all the ways that software can soothe your enterprise’s pain points. Can you picture your organization reaping the full benefits of a mobile auditing solution? If yes, then it’s time to check out some form of software.

For some businesses, the cost and time spent starting up an auditing solution are enough to turn it down, but the long term advantages far outweigh the initial price. The real question you should be asking yourself is, “Can I afford not to invest?” especially now so many employees are working remotely.