There are many reasons why your business may undergo an ERP audit. Whether you are in a heavily regulated field and must undergo an ERP audit for government compliance or are checking for security breaches, auditing your ERP system is a great way to ensure your data is correct. With incorrect data, you could undergo adverse effects that could hurt your business.
Performing a self-audit before the external ERP audit begins is best practice to ensure your business is in top shape. Doing this routinely, as well, even if you are not in a regulated field will simply ensure you’re getting the most out of your ERP system. Follow these five tips to guide your ERP audit performance.
Your key performance indicators are the areas of the business that help to inform the most important decisions. There indicators help to, basically, run your business. Starting the ERP audit by checking the information in key performance indicators is correct will lay the foundation for the rest of the ERP audit.
When auditing your business processes, the best place to start is with your end goal. By starting with your desired end result in mind, you can make sure that every process before it is leading you down the right path.
The area of an ERP audit most at risk is in places that require action. Consider areas that may require an approval or where the step is most dependent. By ensuring that these areas of action are correct, those that follow afterward will most likely follow suit.
An internal audit will give you insight into where you may fail at an external audit. For example, a food and beverage manufacturer may want to consider lot traceability. Discover how long it may take you isolate a recall. Is it in the first minute or the first hour of production? Discover risk issues like this are one of the most important parts of an ERP audit.
This step is more of an “after the fact” in an ERP audit, but nonetheless important. If you have identified risks during your ERP audit, adjust your business processes! Ensure data is correct and any workflow issues are dissolved. What was the point in doing an ERP audit if you don’t fix the issues discovered?
