Audit Planning: At the Right Time, in the Right Place
Audits, checks, and inspections are essential in the food industry — whether in production facilities, logistics centres, or retail outlets. However, audits that are not carried out at the right time, in the right place, or with the right focus lose their effectiveness when it comes to implementing corrective and preventive actions in a targeted way.
Effective audit planning bridges this gap by ensuring that audits are not only performed, but strategically scheduled — targeted, timely, and context-specific.
This is where smart auditing comes in. With the intelligent, automated audit planning system within acture, what was once a rigid administrative task becomes a flexible, dynamic process. Audit planning is no longer just about fulfilling obligations — it becomes a foundation for proactive risk management and continuous improvement across all levels of the organisation.
Plan with Purpose: The Four Approaches to Audit Planning in acture
Manual Planning Support
Audits with a fixed time cycle can be manually rescheduled based on the last execution. Auditors access key data such as previous audit dates and results and coordinate upcoming audits directly within their calendars, in alignment with all relevant stakeholders.
Cyclical, Automated Planning
Especially for internal audits that require some scheduling flexibility within defined intervals, acture offers automated planning. The system independently calculates the next audit window and displays upcoming audits directly in the app using a traffic light system – clearly prioritised and easy to understand.
Active Planning
For more extensive or location-bound audit tasks – such as in manufacturing facilities – auditors can perform active planning. All relevant data for upcoming audits is preloaded and available offline in the app. This ensures maximum efficiency, even without a constant internet connection.
Rule-Based Planning and Integration
Based on defined rules such as audit cycles, risk categories, previous results, or escalation levels, audits can be automatically scheduled. This planning approach can be seamlessly integrated into existing system environments.
Additionally, planning data can be synchronised with auditors' calendars as needed, and relevant stakeholders can be automatically informed in advance – ensuring maximum transparency and smooth execution. And if the organisation is ready to take the next step, AI assistance can support planning to ensure audits happen at the right time and in the right place.
Ultimately, audit planning is not just a logistical task, it's the first line of defense in a comprehensive quality and safety management system. With smart auditing, it becomes smarter, more responsive, and significantly more impactful.
