Application of technology in auditing activities

Currently, the State Audit Office's (SAO) activities typically focus on assessing the compliance of audited entities based on documents provided by the investor or enterprise, while also reviewing the implementation processes of the audited enterprise or entity and making recommendations and assessments from a professional perspective. According to the State Auditor General, Ngo Van Tuan, current economic cases do not fall within the scope and subject matter of the Independent Auditing Law; therefore, many enterprises have hired foreign or independent auditors to conduct audits. This is precisely the factor that makes it difficult for the auditing sector to delve deeply into and closely monitor each individual enterprise.

Furthermore, the state budget expenditure estimates at many ministries, sectors, and localities are often inaccurate, leading to lower disbursements of recurrent expenditures compared to the projected levels. Mr. Tran Quoc Viet, an auditor in the General Affairs Department of the State Audit Office, stated that manual calculation methods yield inaccurate results. Previously, manual work with large volumes of documents and files made auditing difficult and time-consuming. To address this limitation, the auditing sector urgently needs to apply technology to improve efficiency, enhance transparency and reliability, and minimize risks in its operations.

Currently, the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAO) is deploying 27 software and applications to serve internal operations and audit activities, including applications for directing, managing, and overseeing specialized activities; the SAO's communication channel system; and integrated service systems…

Since 2019, the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAO) has been one of the first agencies to successfully integrate all data exchange applications into the central hub. In particular, software supporting audit activities has been prioritized for development, assisting audit work from planning and execution to the preparation and issuance of audit reports and monitoring of audit recommendations. The SAO has also completed the connection of the national document exchange system with all ministries, central agencies, and local authorities.

The application of information technology in auditing activities brings many outstanding benefits. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thang, Deputy Chief Auditor of the State Audit Office of Vietnam, Region VI, said that members of the audit team are thoroughly instructed to fully apply the software that serves and supports auditing activities. The application of information technology helps auditors save time when searching for and summarizing report content, and saves costs in printing documents.

Furthermore, in implementing the State Audit Office's Information Technology Development Strategy and Master Architecture for the period 2019-2025, with a vision to 2030, the State Audit Office has completed and put into operation the project "Building an integrated platform to connect and interlink data of the State Audit Office with information systems and databases of audited entities". In addition, the feasibility study report for the project "Building a big data platform and information management system for audited entities" has been completed, receiving feedback from experts, ministries, and the State Audit Office's appraisal council, and submitted to the State Audit Office leadership for approval.

Since 2023, the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAO) has implemented four new software programs to effectively support its operational activities, such as: the audit plan management subsystem, which helps units propose audit plans for 2024 and medium-term audit plans for 2024-2026; and the centralized financial management software, which supports and improves the efficiency of financial and accounting work at the SAO's budget units... Simultaneously, 13 software programs have been applied to support internal management and operations.

Currently, the processing and circulation of electronic documents and files are carried out online through document and work file management software. Tasks such as personnel management, training management, financial management, and emulation and reward systems are also performed through application software and integrated deployment on mobile devices. The rapid reporting system has helped the management, direction, and operation of the State Audit Office's leadership at all levels to be carried out quickly and promptly, improving the efficiency of management and professional work within the sector.

The State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAO) also establishes connections and exchanges data with the Ministry of Finance , the State Bank of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Social Security; builds an information exchange portal, creating a multi-directional electronic data exchange channel between the SAO and audited entities.

Preliminary statistics show that the State Audit Office has issued more than 6,000 accounts to over 2,000 audited entities and received more than 10,000 financial reports, budget settlement reports, and budget estimates from audited entities.

However, the application of technology in auditing activities still has limitations, such as: There is no sufficiently strong legal framework regulating the provision of electronic data and the exchange, sharing, and connection of data between audited entities, agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in auditing activities; the number of specialized IT personnel in the sector is small, and their professional capacity in information technology is uneven.

"Currently, the application of technology in many audited entities is becoming increasingly modern, making processing quite complex and requiring auditors to improve their skills to meet job requirements," assessed Mr. Vu Van Cuong, Chief Auditor of the State Audit Office of Vietnam.

Therefore, to meet the requirements set forth in the digital transformation phase, the State Audit Office of Vietnam is strengthening its training and development of information technology human resources. In particular, nurturing the younger generation is a crucial step. With their flexibility and responsiveness in applying technology, the youth union is actively contributing to improving the quality and efficiency of audit activities while simultaneously developing the skills and capabilities of its members.

To effectively leverage the benefits of technology in implementing the State Audit Office's IT development strategy and overall architecture for the period 2025-2030, the audit sector needs to strengthen modernization and digital transformation in state management activities and internal governance; and to intensify and make breakthroughs in promoting the application of high technology and information technology in audit work to gradually increase the number of audits conducted at the State Audit Office headquarters and gradually reduce the audit time at units.

The State Audit Office leadership is directing a decisive effort to raise awareness among officials, Party members, and civil servants regarding the systematic application of information technology in audit work. Investing in human resources and technological infrastructure is a pressing issue, while ensuring compliance with relevant legal regulations. Only then can the audit sector truly lead in audit work and gain the trust of businesses and the public.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ung-dung-cong-nghe-trong-hoat-dong-kiem-toan-post881734.html