Template Workpaper - Planning with Business
 
About this template
It is critical that the business area is involved from the outset when planning an audit. By engaging with the business, we are able to better understand their current processes, risks, opportunities, challenges, and concerns. This early engagement is also an opportunity to build a good working relationship between audit and the business.
 
Whilst the Internal Audit team is ultimately reportable to the Audit Committee and executive, we cannot negate the needs of the business area. This template has been designed partly as a checklist, allowing the auditor to gain a base understanding of many potential elements of the review, whilst allowing the business to have a level of input into the review’s scope.
 
This template extends upon the work performed by the auditor in the previous planning activities.
 
Why use this template
This template will help the auditor to have informed and meaningful planning discussions with the business area. The template also acts as a checklist, ensuring we have considered all various information sources in the planning processes. This template will help feed into the Team Planning meeting and ensure that the audit is scoped to meet the needs of the Audit Committee, Internal Audit, Business, and the Executive.  
 
When to use this template
This template should be used in the planning phase and should be completed by the auditor once they have performed all their background research. Information from the prior workpapers will help have informed discussions with the business and demonstrate our knowledge of the topic.
 
Things to be careful about
This template is only a guide. It is recommended that this template be only used as a guide as, depending on the topic of the audit, there may be items which are not included in this meeting agenda.