Abstract
The aspects of internal control which troubles executives most is the increasing dependence of their organizations on computers for financial reporting and operational effectiveness. Given the growing number of computer applications, particularly those of a more complex nature—exemplified by data base management systems, distributed networks, and online processing—there is a need for tools to help in establishing and monitoring controls in such systems. To date, those who have addressed this issue have concentrated on models for choosing between alternative systems of control. In this paper, we address what we view as a more pressing issue—that is, the development of models to guide management and systems designers in establishing the frequency of monitoring internal controls. With the increased capability for embedding audit modules in the processing system, the question of frequency of monitoring becomes a concern in the systems design, itself.
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Our research on EDP auditing has been funded in part through grants from the Peat, Marwick, Mitchell Foundation's Research Opportunities in Auditing Program. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Peat, Marwick, Mitchell Foundation.
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Hansen, J.V., Messier, W.F. Scheduling the monitoring of EDP controls in online systems. International Journal of Computer and Information Sciences 12, 35–46 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00996802
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00996802