Remote Internal Auditing
Anytime. Anywhere. IQPS Is Ready to Help You.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, IQPS is continuing their quality internal auditing services including ISO 27001, ISO 20000, and ISO 9001. IQPS offers on-site internal audits wherever possible and also offers remote internal auditing services to ensure that industries unable to facilitate on-site visits can continue to meet government regulations and industry quality standards. Remote auditing apps and technological solutions allow IQPS to conduct quality internal audits partially or completely off-site.
It is important that businesses maintain their Quality certifications, since this is crucial to their organization’s ongoing integrity and success. If your company has changed some of your manufacturing processes or increased production to support much-needed supplies during this time, we commend you for your actions. We are here to help you by supporting your change in processes through remote risk assessments. Our remote internal auditing services provide you with the same level of technical expertise and insight in a safe, flexible, and efficient way.
What Should IQPS Internal Auditing Clients Expect?
The structure of the internal auditing visit will remain familiar as we will review information with clients to ensure ongoing compliance with government regulations and industry quality standards, although there will be some changes as to how we achieve these reviews. The duration of a remote internal auditing assessment may differ than that of your onsite assessment, depending on what aspects are planned to be covered. In addition, it is also likely that the assessment may be fragmented with individual activities happening over the course of a longer period of time. Therefore, you will not necessarily need to be available at all times when the assessment is occurring, but a schedule of planned web-conferencing will be agreed upon with you.
When an internal auditing assessment is conducted via web-conference technology, it is recommended that both parties use screen sharing and webcam functionality. This reduces the amount of data and information that has to be transferred back and forth. To expedite the process and manage the no face-to-face interactions, time documentation can be submitted to review offline since this is often done more efficiently with large amounts of information.
You may be asked to email documents or utilize file sharing sites to provide the documentation to the Quality Assessor/Auditor. Please be assured that the information you send us will be securely managed in accordance with our existing confidentiality and data privacy policies. A Non-disclosure agreement can be signed if required. Records will be deleted locally at the end of the internal audit.
How Should IQPS Internal Auditing Clients Prepare for Their Upcoming Remote Audit?
Remote internal auditing assessments are heavily reliant on technology, so IQPS recommends preparing with the following:
• Check to see if your IT systems will allow you to access one of the following web-conferencing solutions, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom Meeting, GoTo Meeting. If you do not have a license for these applications, IQPS can initiate a Webex meeting that is used for online training.
• If online connectivity is not possible, then the assessment will be carried out using telephone conferencing and the emailing/file-sharing of documentation.
As well as checking access, please ensure that you are familiar with the technology, particularly the management of your audio and screen sharing prior to your assessment to avoid unnecessary delays.
What Documents Should IQPS Internal Auditing Clients Have Prepared for Their Virtual Audit?
IQPS will review as much of your management system as possible remotely. This can be done via screen share or by sending the information to your Internal Assessor/Auditor by email/file-sharing; Your internal auditing team may request documentation to be sent in advance of the assessment so they can review beforehand.
Typical documents your internal auditing team may request are:
• Internal audit schedule and supporting records or reports
• Minutes of management system review
• Reports of complaints and nonconforming work
• Corrective actions
• Records of risk management
• Training records of new staff and process changes
• Details of changes affecting your organization
• Job files
• Quality control data
If you have any further questions about IQPS internal auditing services during the COVID-19 pandemic, please call us at 724-321-5385 or email us at info@iqps.net.
