Audit Efficiency in the Food Industry

Preparation

Execution

While performing the audit, the auditor both captures new and uses existing information and if they don't have everything in one place, this can quickly get time-consuming. But if all information and tools are within reach, the auditing process becomes but a series of streamlined tasks with everything the auditor may need literally in the palm of their hand.

Imagine that auditor walking through a busy warehouse, tablet in hand, where each tap not only records current conditions but also brings up past audit reports, supplier information, and compliance checklists relevant to that very spot, all in real time. The past and present blend to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the situation at hand. 

The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. Auditors are no longer hindered by the cumbersome need to pause, search for files, or make manual notes to cross-reference later. Instead, they move through their checks with the confidence that comes from having a wealth of information at their fingertips. Whether it's verifying the temperature controls of a refrigeration unit, checking the latest compliance standards for food storage, or reviewing previous audit outcomes, every piece of information needed is seamlessly integrated into their workflow, which means they are able to perform their audit uninterrupted without compromising the accuracy of their findings.

This not only accelerates the auditing process but also enriches the quality of each audit. With immediate access to historical data, auditors can quickly identify patterns or recurring issues, providing insights that go beyond the surface level. Such depth of analysis ensures that no critical detail is missed and that each audit is as thorough as it is efficient. Moreover, the ability to update information on the spot means that any discrepancies can be immediately documented and flagged for corrective action, ensuring that issues are addressed promptly. This dynamic interaction between capturing new information and leveraging existing insights fosters a proactive approach to audit management. It's not just about identifying issues; it's about creating a continuous loop of improvement where each audit builds upon the insights of the last.

Post-Processing: Consolidated Information

Perhaps the most time-consuming task of all is processing the collected information once the audit has been completed. Different organisations have different approaches to this step, but they often involve a fair amount of manual data entry and calculation. The collected information needs to be entered into the system. This information frequently includes not only simple questions and answers but also images, videos, even drawings. Locating all these pieces of information, putting them in the correct order, and using them to create a report that is easy to read and understand is no small task.

Integration makes it possible to process that information automatically and instantly, creating complete, well-organised, and readable reports without any additional effort on the auditor's part. In addition to increased efficiency, this also improves the accuracy of results, as it eliminates the possibility of human error while importing and calculating those results.

So, what happens with those reports once they've been created? Since all information is consolidated and easily accessible, the reports, as well as any tickets the auditor creates during the audit, can be automatically customised, translated as needed, and sent to all stakeholders as soon as the audit has been finalised.

What does that mean? 

Let's revisit the auditor in that busy warehouse from the previous section. They've made their rounds and completed their audit, and now, all it takes is one tap for the audit to be officially finalised and the report to be dispatched. They don't even have to leave the warehouse to do this; all they need to upload the collected information is an internet connection. In short, the auditor can complete yet another stage of the complex audit management process with far more confidence and far less hassle.

Making Sense Before Making Decisions

Having all the information in one place is one thing, but presenting it in a way that allows everyone to make sense of what they're reading is an entirely different matter.

Perhaps the most important phase of the audit management process comes at the end, when all the gathered information has been sifted through and put in reports. At this moment, it's time to analyse those reports, discover patterns, and present them in a way that supplies decision-makers with deep insights into the organisation's performance. This process requires careful calculation combined with a creative presentation of multiple reports, and the outcome sometimes also needs to be tailored to different audiences. In order to do this, the person creating this report would need to invest great effort into accumulating information from different sources, extracting insights from it, and finally presenting those insights in a meaningful way.

At least that's the traditional approach. The smarter, simpler, and more efficient approach allows on-demand creation and presentation of those insights in just a few clicks. Using an intuitive analytics dashboard tailored to each recipient, decision-makers can see all information relevant to their role, whether it be a detailed performance analysis of a single branch or an all-encompassing performance overview of all branches. Transparent and accurate benchmarks and KPIs provide truly meaningful insights that promote strategic decisions at all levels of the organisation.