We often hear that technology will enhance the roles of accountants and auditors by taking over the routine/rote tasks and freeing up time for analysis and interpretation. It sounds good until you start to consider exactly what this means.
Drones are being used in audits and experience with them is developing. So far, much of the use is in physical inspection of assets. A prime area of usage is for inventory count attendance.
Drones are being used to fly over the inventory area, often large yards, and take pictures of the stock. Data is developed to describe the pictures and the auditor has a comprehensive body of evidence to support physical evidence and often its condition. With drones, 100% of the stock can be observed and counted, which beats the taking of samples from a quality of evidence viewpoint.
A recent study by KPMG of ESG reporting by the 250 largest companies in the world (G250), provided some insight into their adherence with accepted criteria in their reporting. It used quality criteria based on “the insights of climate disclosure experts at KPMG firms, combined with key elements of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations, other reporting frameworks and evolving best practice.”
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada), one of the largest national accounting organizations in the world, has chosen to become a founding partner of ThinkTwenty20.
