Tracking Time on Audit Projects

Are you tracking time spent on audit projects?

Are you happy with your audit cycle time?

Most audit leaders would say there is some fluff that could be cut.  Just like most of us would say that we would like to lose a little weight.

My current weight loss program wants me to track my food consumption and exercise so that I become conscious of what I am putting in my mouth.  (I didn’t know I was eating that many gummy bears a week!)

In the same way, in order to uncover the fluff in your audit process, you have to be conscious of where the time is going.

Let’s look at some questions to help you become conscious of how your team uses their most precious resource… time.  We’ll focus on resource planning, staff utilization, deadline management, and the use of project management tools.

Is information gathered about audit resources used to plan future audits?

Picture this: You’ve just finished an audit, and your team is either high-fiving or avoiding eye contact. The question is, did you gather any useful info along the way? If you’re jotting down how many hours, skills, , specialists and snacks it took to get through, you’re on the right track. The real trick is using this intel to make the next audit smoother.

How do you use the resource tracking information?

If you’re collecting data on how long each audit task takes, who’s doing what, and when the team needs a break to refresh their calculators, you’re ahead of the game. But it’s not just about collecting info—it’s about using it. Are you spotting trends, like how audits run smoother when you’ve got a coffee machine within ten feet? Or maybe you’re seeing that your team of three needs a fourth wheel to avoid going flat.

Is the staff utilization rate calculated and monitored?

Have you ever wondered if your auditors are being used to their full potential, or if they’re secretly moonlighting as sudoku champions? Calculating staff utilization rates can help you figure out whether everyone’s contributing to the audit or if some folks are spending work hours ticking off their personal to-do list.

If your team is spending 80% of their time on billable work and the other 20% on perfecting their doodles, you might be in a good spot. The key is finding that sweet spot where everyone is working hard but not so hard that they start dreaming of formulas on spreadsheets.

What technology is used for determining staff utilization rate?

So, how are you keeping tabs on all this? Maybe you’ve got fancy time-tracking software, or maybe it’s just an intern with a stopwatch. Either way, the right tech can help you figure out who’s doing what and when. Are you using tools that give you real-time updates, or are you still relying on sticky notes and crossed fingers? It’s worth checking if your tools are more cutting-edge or if they belong in a history museum.

Are audit teams held to deadlines for completing projects?

Deadlines: love them or hate them, they’re the only thing standing between your audit and total chaos.

Take a moment to consider how your team handles deadlines. Are they working like a well-oiled machine, or are they more like a cat herding exercise?

Setting clear deadlines is one thing—getting everyone to actually stick to them is a whole other challenge.

Are individual auditors held to deadlines for completing projects?

Now, think about your auditors as a collection of individuals with their own quirks and tendencies. Does everyone have their own personal deadline that feeds into the larger project timeline? Or is it more of a free-for-all where deadlines are merely suggestions? If timelines are slipping, it might be time to figure out if individual deadlines are the missing link in your audit machinery.

What are the consequences when auditors do not meet project deadlines or budgets?

Let’s be real—when deadlines or budgets aren’t met, the consequences can be…unpleasant. Think about what happens when your audit doesn’t finish on time. Are there financial penalties? Is the company CFO giving you the stink eye in the elevator? Or maybe it’s just a matter of team morale dropping faster than a lead balloon. Whatever the case, these consequences should be enough to keep everyone on their toes—or at least awake during those late-night audit sessions.

Are project management tools used to ensure timely deliverables?

Imagine trying to build a house without a blueprint or, worse, trying to build a house with a blueprint drawn in crayon. Project management tools are your blueprint, but hopefully without the waxy residue. Reflect on whether your current tools are actually helping you hit those deadlines or if they’re just adding to your collection of things to ignore.

What are the most common tools employed?

Consider what’s already in your project management toolbox. Are you using Asana to keep everyone on track, or is it more like you’re playing a giant game of Trello Jenga? Maybe you’ve got Monday.com sending you more reminders than your mother, or Microsoft Project mapping out timelines like a GPS from the future.

The question is: are these tools helping you get things done, or are they just another thing to manage?

There is no magic here

Maybe you’re using all the tricks in the book—better planning, more automation, regular check-ins—but still, your audits move slower than a snail on vacation.

Just like my weight loss, progress is very slow. But it is progress.

Your excessive cycle time is the result of many different factors all contributing to the bloat.  But changing your habits, one-by-one will yield results.  Not immediate results, but you will be in a better place next year than you are now.  You just have to start by being conscious of what is going on and intentionally making different choices.

You can do it.

Now where is that bag of gummy bears?