Using generalized audit software to detect material misstatements, control deficiencies and fraud: How financial and IT auditors perceive net audit benefits

Abstract

Purpose

As technology integration in auditing continues to grow, it is important to understand how auditors perceive connections between use of generalized audit software (GAS) and audit benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

The DeLone and McLean information systems success model (2003) is adapted with audit-related uses of GAS as antecedents to information quality. Survey data on 188 current users of GAS, who are financial and IT auditors, is analyzed with partial least squares method.

Findings

For financial auditors, detecting material misstatements antecedent is the only significant indicator of information quality for GAS. For IT auditors, detecting control deficiencies and fraud significantly impacts information quality. Information quality influences use for both auditors; however, it only influences satisfaction with GAS for financial auditors. System quality impacts GAS satisfaction for only IT auditors and has no impact on GAS use for either type of auditor. Service quality influences use of GAS for financial, but not IT auditors. For both groups, service quality has no impact on satisfaction with GAS, and GAS use and satisfaction with GAS positively increases their perceptions of audit benefits.

Originality/value

Financial and IT auditors who use GAS are both focused on matching GAS use with their primary audit objectives. Results suggest that as GAS use increases, system quality may be important to satisfaction. Training should first focus on the usefulness of GAS to the audit to increase extent of use. Lastly, the more auditors use GAS and are satisfied with it, the greater their perception GAS contributing directly to benefit the audit.

Citation

Bradford, M., Henderson, D., Baxter, R.J. and Navarro, P. (2020), "Using generalized audit software to detect material misstatements, control deficiencies and fraud: How financial and IT auditors perceive net audit benefits", Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 521-547. https://doi.org/10.1108/MAJ-05-2019-2277