In this issue:
• CCSA member COR facts
• Which audit tool is right for you?
• Sharing your documents in 2020
CCSA member COR facts
Twenty-three per cent of our members are currently part of the COR program. For the 2020 audit year, 24 per cent are in a recertification year, 30 per cent are in year one maintenance and 46 percent are in year two maintenance. If your organization requires an internal auditor for 2020, please click here to sign up for auditor training.
Seventy-eight per cent of CCSA COR audits are completed from September to December. If you would like to see if and how you can move your COR certification date, contact the COR team for details.
In 2020, CCSA has two audit tools. Of the 53 per cent that are registered audits:
• 37 per cent have chosen to use the AuditSoft tool.
• 63 per cent have chosen to use the CCSA Modified Excel-based audit tool.
All audits need to be registered with the CCSA. Not registered yet? You can do it here today. CCSA highly recommends that you plan at least two months in advance of the planned audit start date to ensure accuracy of the audit process.
Which audit tool is right for you?
In addition to 2020 being documentation only audits, this year employers can choose between two audit tools. Still have not registered your audit and are uncertain which tool is the best option for you? Here is a brief description of each tool:
Excel-based audit tool
• Same tool introduced by the CCSA in 2019, modified to documentation only questions.
• Familiar to members and easy to use.
• No cost to employers.
• Populates the audit tool results to produce the audit report and executive summary.
AuditSoft tool:
• Software-based platform that has an associated cost of $125 per audit tool for the first auditor and $50 for each additional auditor.
• Capability to merge team/department audits when multiple audit tools are used.
• Automatic generation of a final audit report and creation of “suggestion for improvement” action plans.
Sharing your documents in 2020
Given the pandemic and in an effort to ensure the safety of all, external auditors are encouraged to conduct documentation only audits remotely.
Therefore, employers and auditors will need to make arrangements for how documents will be shared. There are several cloud-based options such as Dropbox, Box, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive that enable employers and auditors to store and share files.
Organizations may also choose to provide the documents on a USB drive. If the employer’s documents are not available electronically, arrangements for safe pick up and return of paper records will need to be made.
Please remember that for 2020, the minimum requirement for one (1)-year documentation only audit will be three (3) months of documentation within the last twelve (12) preceding months. However, the auditor must choose the sampling; the employer cannot simply provide what documents they choose.
Should you have any questions, please contact us at COR@ab-ccsa.ca.
Please stay safe and take care.