Audits have evolved considerably, shifting from labor-intensive paper trails to efficient digital processes. However, even with these advancements, opportunities remain to further streamline and improve audits.
A recent Verdantix Global survey reveals that 94% of EHS leaders prioritize data collection standardization as a core driver for consolidating EHS IT systems in 2023. Pro-Sapien’s audit software, specifically its audit findings template library, tackles this need by enhancing both the efficiency and consistency of data entry.
Let’s dive into how this template library addresses common audit challenges.
Key Audit Challenges for Large Organizations
Our typical clients at Pro-Sapien are large organizations with thousands of employees working across multiple sites. Managing audits in such complex environments can pose significant challenges, especially when it comes to:
1. Avoiding Duplication of Efforts
With multiple stakeholders involved, they often have to reinvent the wheel by creating findings and actions – even though they’ve already proven effective elsewhere. This duplication wastes time and prevents teams from leveraging existing best practices.
2. Ensuring Consistent Data Entry
Different employees may record information in varying ways, making it difficult to standardize data for meaningful analytics.
Real-World Solution: Audit Findings Templates in Action
A Pro-Sapien customer in the U.S. faced recurring audit issues, including frequent problems with personal protective equipment (PPE) and signage. Each finding required detailed descriptions, references to standards, and comprehensive action plans with multiple corrective actions. Pro-Sapien’s template library helped address both data entry challenges.
1. Avoiding Duplication of Efforts:
With Pro-Sapien’s audit findings template library, employees can access a categorized library of common finding templates. If, for instance, an employee finds worn electrical cords, they can select a template for such an issue. This template then opens a finding with pre-populated finding details and established actions.
This feature minimizes repetitive data entry, saving time and reducing manual effort. If no template exists for a particular finding, employees can submit new templates for review, ensuring the library continuously evolves to meet real-world needs.
2. Entering Audit Findings Consistently
Inconsistent data entry can lead to unreliable safety analytics, making it harder to spot patterns and address root causes. Pro-Sapien’s template library mitigates this by providing predefined templates with standardized fields for common issues. For example, an employee noting a problem with safety equipment can select a tailored template that prompts them to enter details like the equipment type, issue description, and corrective actions.
This guided, structured format ensures all critical information is captured uniformly, regardless of who completes the audit. The result is more consistent, high-quality data that enables better trend analysis and decision-making.
Step-by-Step Audit Process Using the Findings Template Library
Pro-Sapien’s audit findings template library is designed to streamline and standardize the audit process within Microsoft 365, integrating seamlessly with SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:
1. Creating a new audit: The employee initiates the audit form through SharePoint or Microsoft Teams.
2. Entering General details: The auditor fills in mandatory details for the audit, such as the location and auditor’s name, ensuring essential information is consistently recorded across all audits.
3. Submitting Audit findings: Within the findings tab, the auditor has two choices for submitting findings: “Blank Finding” or “Search Templates”.
a. Search Templates:
- Open Catalogue: The auditor accesses a catalogue of standardized templates for common audit findings.
- Pre-populated fields: After selecting the relevant template (e.g., for issues like PPE or signage), the template auto-fills fields with standard details. The auditor then completes any additional specific information required.
- Submit audit: Once all necessary information is entered, and corrective actions (CAPAs) are assigned, the auditor submits the audit.
b. Blank Finding:
- Fill in Fields: The auditor manually completes all required fields for a new finding.Submit to Template Library: Once filled out, the auditor has the option to submit this finding as a new template to the library, helping expand the template catalogue for future audits.
- Template Review: Newly submitted templates undergo a categorization and validation process before being added to the main library, ensuring quality and consistency.
4. Action notification: Any corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) assigned trigger automatic Outlook notifications to relevant employees, ensuring they’re aware of their tasks and can promptly address the assigned actions.
5. Tracking Data in Power BI: Each submitted audit form, along with its findings and CAPAs, is tracked and logged in the Pro-Sapien library and is accessible in Power BI. This integration supports detailed analysis and reporting, enabling organizations to monitor trends, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions. Plus – it’s all within the familiar interface of Microsoft 365!
Why Should You Choose Pro-Sapien’s Audit Solution?
Pro-Sapien’s audit solution, particularly its audit findings template library, is designed to make the audit process faster, more consistent, and more insightful. Here are the standout benefits:
1. Streamlined Process with Predefined Templates:
By offering pre-populated templates for common findings, Pro-Sapien’s library reduces the time and effort needed to document audit findings. This means employees don’t need to start from scratch every time, allowing audits to be completed quickly and consistently.
2. Consistency Across Audits:
Standardized templates help ensure uniformity in data entry, making it easier to achieve reliable and accurate reports. This consistency not only enhances the quality of data but also improves the ability to draw insights from audit results.
3. Integrated Collaboration in Microsoft 365:
Since Pro-Sapien’s solution works within SharePoint and Microsoft Teams, it allows team members to collaborate easily. This integration simplifies communication, task assignments, and follow-ups, boosting overall efficiency and ensuring everyone is aligned on corrective actions.
4. Efficient Action Assignment:
With Pro-Sapien, users can assign corrective actions (CAPAs) that have proven effective in previous situations, streamlining response times and ensuring best practices are applied.
5. Improved Understanding of Common Issues:
The template library allows for a comprehensive view of recurring issues and completed corrective actions, helping organizations understand and address common safety challenges.
What Do I Need to Consider?
Pro-Sapien’s audit module is part of our larger EHS software built into Microsoft 365, often deployed alongside other modules like safety inspections. For organizations planning a large-scale EHS project, Pro-Sapien provides a guide on phasing module implementation to support strategic adoption.
If you’re still exploring what modules you need, you might be interested in our guide on how to phase a large EHS project.
If you already know your organization’s needs and want to enhance your audits, you can learn more about Pro-Sapien’s Audit Software and see it in action by watching a demo. Pro-Sapien is here to make audits a streamlined, standardized, and collaborative experience, all within Microsoft 365.
