HOW TO WRITE AUDIT REPORT WITH 6 STEPS (TRAINING HRDF CLAIMABLE)

The ultimate objective of internal audit reporting is not to describe what we found or to make recommendations for improvement. It is to persuade readers to take action.

1. Keep It Short

"This report by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read."

The lessons for internal auditors: (1) Internal audit reports are most persuasive when they are tailored to our stakeholders' needs; and (2) if we overwhelm our readers with too much information, our reports will have less impact. If a word, idea, or sentence does not contribute directly to the point, consider eliminating it. 

3. Make Your Best Ideas Stand Out

We need to make it easy for busy executives to read, absorb, and act on the results of our work. Keeping things short and simple can help, but we also must organize our reports to make the most important ideas stand out.

Message-style headings, subheadings, and call-out boxes can bring attention to the most important information in your report. Don't hesitate to use examples, tables, color, charts, or pictures to clarify and add emphasis to important issues. Also consider using an executive summary, table of contents, and/or index to help the reader easily find information in your report. For longer reports, an executive summary is essential.

The lesson for internal auditors: Different stakeholders have different needs, so we need to help individual readers access the specific information they need. Our writing won't be persuasive if key messages are lost in the details.

4. Don't Neglect the Basics

If it contains misspellings or incorrect grammar or punctuation, readers may get the impression that you are not detail-oriented or, worse, careful about your work. Even a single error can adversely impact your credibility. It may not be fair, but if your report contains errors (careless or otherwise), your well-reasoned arguments may fall flat.

The lesson for internal auditors: Pay attention to details. It's difficult to be persuasive if you lose your credibility because you ignored the basics. ​

5. Consider the Implications

We all try to be unbiased, but sometimes we overlook the implication of our words. If we want readers to buy into our ideas, our tone needs to be objective — even when we deliver a negative message. 

The lesson for internal auditors: We rarely persuade by making someone feel hostile or defensive. If our report seems biased or unfair, the client is likely to tune us out.

6. Remember the Five C's​

Criteria (what should be)

Condition (the current state)

Cause (the reason for the difference)

Consequence (effect)

Corrective action plans/recommendations

https://iaonline.theiia.org/blogs/chambers/2018/Pages/Writing-an-Impactful-Audit-Report-6-Tips-for-Being-More-Persuasive.aspx

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