ACL Robotics is NOT Robotics

Contrary to what ACL has been touting as their new ‘robotics’ feature, it is NOT robotics process automation (RPA).

[The ‘robotics’ feature is due out later in 2018. It appears to be ACL’s latest attempt to get you to use their GRC software.]

ACL, via John Verver, defines the term this way in his RPA article: “The idea is a relatively simple one: get computers to perform tasks normally performed by humans, and cut resource and time requirements for many repetitive activities.”

Advertisement

IIA Analytics Article Dead Wrong

A recent IIA article on building an analytics function in internal audit is dead wrong.

At least on one major point, anyway. And it’s a big one.

As the tombstone reads, this point is D.O.A (dead on arrival, or more specifically, dead on analytics).

The article, Building a data analytics program, requires IIA membership to view, and is located at https://iaonline.theiia.org/2017/Pages/Building-a-Data-Analytics-Program.aspx (that’s actually good, as it means a lot fewer people will ever read it).

No Analytics, No Audit Department

If YOUR audit department doesn’t embrace data, analytics, and automation eventually, your audit department will NOT exist.

No data, no analytics. No analytics, no automation. Eventually, no audit department.

Editor Note: This post really applies to all departments in a company, but mainly I’m addressing auditors, but you might want to read between the business lines….

By embrace, I don’t mean have one or two auditors working on this. I mean the entire department.

Before you cite all the regulatory requirements mandating the existence of an audit department in companies, having an audit department in name only won’t cut it.

Having an inept audit department will not be acceptable to regulators, and it shouldn’t be acceptable to company management either. Or Audit Committees!

Companies need skilled and efficient auditors that can do the heavy lifting, and this need will only increase.

Robotics to Replace ACL, Part 2

Previously I wrote Will Robotics (RPA) Replace ACL?

The short answer is no, and I describe the reasons in that post.

But that doesn’t mean someone won’t try.

Shortly after I wrote my original robotics post, I encountered robotics vs. ACL, part 2.

Diagram of Typical IT Audit

I found a great graphic that documents the main steps in a typical IT audit. If you don’t find this funny, please tell me why. Check it out here.

Top 10 IT Jobs

According to CIO magazine, here’s the hot IT jobs (followed by comments by me in italics):

NOTE: IT Auditors, don’t pass over this article!

1. Security specialist/ethical hacker

One specialty, computer forensics, is hot. Forensic labs are almost always behind in their work. Is it due to a lack of good technicians or that forensic folks aren’t cheap? Either answer is good news.