Pertinence of a Continuous Audit in the Organizations

Abstract: This paper highlights the strategic benefits of Continuous Audit (CA). To make these benefits evident, the concept and ways of operating traditional audits were used, taking into account: response times of their usual operations and later, establishing differences with concepts and response times with the Continuous Audit, is made to arrive of Information Technology. In this way, the limitations and disadvantages of the Traditional Audit were described, on the one hand, and, on the other, the advantages and strategic benefits of the CA. The research was supported, with the application of a survey, to a representative sample of manufacturing companies in CDMX. The results showed that 94% were unaware of the Continuous Audit. However, the large consulting firms stated that they work with companies that do apply CA. The final result has been to take advantage of the great value of the traditional audit, such as its independence and the relevance of its reports, and to promote the relevance of a Continuous Audit, which records the operations at the moment in which they are happening, that is, say, real time. In this way, the Continuous Audit strengthens and raises the importance of a Traditional Audit, turning it into a strategic area, due to the opportunity and immediacy with which it would inform senior management and due to the impartiality of its contents.

Key words: continuous audit, real time, strategic intelligence, timely decisions

JEL codes: M4, Y, Y4