If you’re planning an audit, there are four important things to keep in mind. The Four C’s help you to ensure that your audit report is balanced, objective, and accurate. In addition, they provide the context and perspective necessary to make effective business improvements.

Internal auditors are an integral part of a company’s management team. They are hired to evaluate the organization’s operations and provide risk management. As part of the process, internal auditors perform a number of procedures. These include assessing the effectiveness of the organization’s risk management and control processes.

An effective audit report will make clear to management how to address issues and take action to improve the organization’s performance. Ideally, the report should be short and to the point. It should also be unbiased and avoid unverifiable claims.

While you may have a plan in place to improve an area, the results of multiple audits can change the efficiency of your operating model. That’s why it’s important to understand the audit committee’s expectations.

The four C’s are designed to allow internal audit functions to think broadly and deliver stronger recommendations. However, it’s still essential to follow the seven basic audit principles.

One of the most crucial parts of an audit is determining the scope of the audit. The scope describes the subject matter and time frame of the audit. This may include the entire business or just a particular department.

Next, consider the risks of your audit. Risks can be inherent, or they can result from the environment surrounding your organization.