What is an internal audit?
Internal audits are determined and carried out on the company’s own initiative. This form of self-audit offers the opportunity to collect quality criteria and key figures internally. Planned internal audits are scheduled in an audit program in order to guarantee compliance with possible inspection intervals. These intervals are defined and scheduled in advance in an audit program. Unscheduled internal audits can also be carried out depending on the situation. An audit object is defined depending on the form of the audit:
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System audit: The functionality and process conformity of the management system is comprehensively checked. For new systems without a process history, a system audit is a good way of assessing the performance of the control process. System audits are also relevant when management systems are adapted or changed. Auditing can ensure long-term compliance with standards.
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Process audit: In this audit variant, proven management systems are audited at process level. Since a system may already have been in place in the company for a longer period of time, sufficient data is available to check the process quality.
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Product audit – quality management system: The product audit focuses on the conformity of the product: Compliance with product requirements is carried out according to a standardized test in order to meet quality standards.
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Compliance audit: The term compliance covers statutory, contractual and voluntary internal company rules of conduct (e.g. from company agreements or ethical standards) and the corresponding adherence to rules within the underlying processes and workflows. A compliance audit refers to the adherence to rules resulting from the respective contract or set of rules.
Further useful information
How to carry out mobile and efficient audits with Testify.