The Audit Connection Blog

Building and planning go virtual

The permitting counter was usually a busy place at a local city or county government, with contractors and homeowners stopping in to ask questions or buy permits. Most entities have probably changed their processes to reduce interpersonal contact since the pandemic started. ... CONTINUE READING

Help for Washington local governments on CARES Act Grants to Small Businesses

Local governments looking for guidance on managing federal funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will find value in a new, in-depth article from MRSC. ... CONTINUE READING

Center for Internet Security, a national cybersecurity leader, lauds Auditor's Office

CIS is known for developing an array of cybersecurity controls and leading practices that can help organizations of all sizes protect their IT systems and data. In June, CIS recognized our cybersecurity auditors for their work applying the CIS Controls system to help Washington’s state and local governments. ... CONTINUE READING

FIT gets fitter

We have refreshed our Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT) with fiscal year 2019 data submitted by local governments, as well as some new enhancements! ... CONTINUE READING

Four real tips for better virtual meetings

Virtual meetings are on the rise for everyone, so what can we do to make them better? ... CONTINUE READING

Getting CARES Act funding? Document, document, document

What’s the best advice we can give you regarding use of and documentation for CARES Act funding? Document, document, and document some more. Read on for more guidance regarding this federal funding. ... CONTINUE READING

Five things to consider when choosing an online meeting platform

Many local governments found themselves abruptly thrust into the world of online meetings when state-level mandates to prevent the spread of coronavirus forced them to cancel in-person events. After several months’ experience, you might be reconsidering your initial choice. We have assembled a short list of five things to consider when choosing an online meeting platform. ... CONTINUE READING

Is your approval process as effective as you think? Here are some tips to improve it

How many approvals do you really need for financial transactions? It might be fewer than your process currently calls for. ... CONTINUE READING

Looking to push less paper? Consider electronic approvals

Processing documents such as vendor invoices and employee timesheets involves frequent approvals. It can be inefficient to pass around paper for these purposes, so electronic options are attractive to many. When it comes to electronic approvals for internal control purposes, here are five things you’ll want to keep in mind. ... CONTINUE READING

Single audit alert: Another change to federal single audit deadlines

OMB has significantly changed the single audit extension that it issued in March. Find out if this revision affects your government. ... CONTINUE READING