Check out the 10 most frequently viewed audit tools on KnowledgeLeader in the third quarter of 2025.

1. Payroll Audit Work Program

Our Payroll Audit Work Program provides a structured approach to conducting effective payroll audits, emphasizing their importance in verifying tax withholdings, identifying errors, preventing fraud and ensuring compliance with labor laws. It outlines key phases of the audit process, starting with gathering employee rosters and payroll reports and reconciling them against employee hours, payments and company accounts. This document highlights essential steps, such as reviewing internal controls, performing analytical procedures, interviewing personnel and issuing comprehensive audit reports. By conducting regular payroll audits, organizations can strengthen their financial integrity, identify areas for improvement and mitigate risks associated with payroll errors or fraud.

2. Risk Assessment Questionnaire

Our Risk Assessment Questionnaire is designed to help organizations collect responses for risk assessment as preparation for annual budgeting and business planning efforts. Within this tool, you will find a risk assessment questionnaire with instructions for completion. It also provides additional information and reference materials, including a risk model, rating guidance, environmental risk definitions, process risk definitions and information risk definitions. It includes functional goals, top three to five risks in functional areas, companywide top three to five risks and quantitative risk ratings.

3. Inventory Audit Work Program

Our Inventory Audit Work Program is a detailed guide designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of inventory management through systematic auditing practices. It outlines methods to identify discrepancies between physical inventory and recorded data, address risks like theft and obsolescence, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. This tool emphasizes improving inventory control processes and provides organizations with actionable steps to maintain accurate financial statements and optimize operational efficiency. It serves as a customizable framework for organizations to tailor audit procedures to their unique needs while continuously monitoring and refining their inventory management strategies.

4. Risk Assessment and Internal Audit Plan

The detailed risk assessment results in this sample audit report can help you measure and improve your organization’s internal audit process. By conducting a thorough risk assessment, the document provides management with insights into potential vulnerabilities within various business processes, ensuring that critical areas receive appropriate attention during audits. The plan is designed not only to comply with regulatory requirements, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, but also to promote best practices in risk management and internal controls.

5. Process Classification Scheme(PCS)

The Process Classification Scheme (PCS) document, powered by Protiviti's KnowledgeLeader platform, provides a framework for businesses looking to categorize and understand their core functions and processes. This scheme delineates business activities into two primary categories: operating processes and managing and supporting processes, thereby providing a structured approach to analyze and optimize organizational performance. It is instrumental in identifying strategic, operational and tactical levels of business functions, promoting a common language for better communication and alignment within the company.

6. Internal Audit Activity Report

Explore the importance of internal audit and how a quality assessment review can enhance your audit functions for better compliance and effectiveness. This insightful report highlights the findings from an external quality assessment, which is mandated by international auditing standards every five years. It validates a company’s self-assessment, confirming that their internal audit activities generally conform to established standards while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement. Key sections of the report include an executive summary, detailing the effectiveness of the internal audit function in providing assurance and consulting services. The report emphasizes positive feedback from executive management, indicating that the internal audit team is perceived as credible and valuable in addressing significant risks and enhancing governance structures.

7. Enterprise Risk Assessment Board Report

The ultimate goal of enterprise risk management (ERM) is to evaluate total returns relative to total risks, leading to more informed business decisions. This sample report provides findings from a review of a company’s enterprise risk assessment. It serves as a strategic guide for implementing an ERM initiative, starting with detailed management interviews to gather insights into current organizational challenges and risks. The presentation includes a structured risk assessment process involving the formulation of risk statements, distribution of surveys to management, and live voting sessions to evaluate the significance of identified risks.

8. Physical Inventory Policy

This Physical Inventory Policy is designed to help organizations tighten control over their inventory, improve accuracy and ensure compliance with financial standards. With practical guidance and proven strategies, this resource empowers businesses to strengthen their inventory processes, minimize discrepancies and stay audit ready. This tool aids in maintaining precise inventory records and prepares organizations for audits, making it an essential resource for organizations looking to optimize their operational efficiency.

9. Process Documentation Narrative and Flow Chart Guide

Documenting the understanding of a process, related controls, and key roles and responsibilities can be achieved through process narratives and flow charts. Both of these documentation techniques assist internal audit teams and those responsible for the processes with establishing a common understanding of a process. Once these documents are confirmed as accurate, they provide a baseline for performing risk analysis, testing internal controls and implementing process improvements as necessary. Discover the essential elements of process documentation narratives and flow charts with our comprehensive guide, including a process flow example.

10. Fixed Assets Audit Work Program

Our Fixed Assets Audit Work Program outlines the process of auditing fixed assets  to ensure accurate capitalization, depreciation and accounting. The primary goal of this audit program is to maintain the integrity of financial statements. The document includes six samples, each with specific procedures and steps. Sample 1 outlines the initial understanding of fixed assets, emphasizing policies on classification, useful life determination and depreciation calculation. It includes tasks such as reviewing acquisition accounting, understanding capitalization, and ensuring the existence and utilization of assets. Sample 2 focuses on planning and fieldwork, including conducting planning meetings, understanding previous audits, reviewing policies, and developing a risk profile.