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The manual testing reality
Picture this: It’s 8 PM on a Wednesday, and Sarah, a senior auditor, is hunched over her desk surrounded by stacks of bank statements and client documentation. She’s manually tracing cash collections from the general ledger to supporting evidence, cross-referencing transactions line by line. What started as a routine testing procedure this morning has turned into an all-consuming task that’s eaten up her entire day – and likely tomorrow too.
This scenario plays out in audit firms across the country every single day. Auditors spend countless hours pulling ledger data, sorting through mountains of client documentation, and manually matching samples to supporting evidence. One auditor noted that without proper automation, “I’ve kind of struck out” when it comes to efficient testing.
The time drain is real, measurable, and universal across the profession. But what if this entire process could be automated?
The problem: Why manual audit testing is broken
Time-consuming manual processes
The current state of audit testing is fundamentally inefficient. Auditors face a cascade of manual tasks that consume valuable time and resources. Pulling ledger data and bank statements manually creates an immediate bottleneck in the audit process. Teams spend hours sorting through client documentation, trying to organize and categorize evidence before they can even begin the actual testing work.
The most labor-intensive aspect involves tracing cash collections line by line, a process that requires meticulous attention to detail but offers little intellectual value.
Quality and consistency issues
Manual testing introduces significant risks to audit quality. Inconsistent documentation across audit workpapers creates review challenges and potential compliance issues. Human error in matching and verification processes can lead to missed exceptions or incorrect conclusions. Perhaps most concerning is the uncertainty about whether staff has properly validated evidence, leaving reviewers without confidence in the work performed.
When processes are automated, the consistency and thoroughness of documentation dramatically improves, giving reviewers greater confidence in the testing results.
Review inefficiencies
The manual approach creates additional problems at the review level. Reviewers often lack confidence in staff work because there’s no clear audit trail showing how testing decisions were made. It becomes difficult to verify that underlying evidence was properly examined, forcing reviewers to duplicate effort or accept work they can’t fully validate.
This inefficiency compounds throughout the audit process, creating delays and quality concerns that impact the entire engagement timeline.
Client impact
Manual processes don’t just burden audit teams — they significantly impact clients as well. Firms end up making multiple requests for the same information because manual systems can’t efficiently organize and process client data. Extended audit timelines due to manual processes frustrate clients who expect efficient, professional service. The result is frustrated clients dealing with what they perceive as inefficient information requests and prolonged disruption to their operations.
Meet Audit Intelligence Test
Enter Thomson Reuters Audit Intelligence Test, the breakthrough solution that automates the entire testing process from start to finish. This AI-powered innovation delivers on two powerful value propositions: Auto-match supporting evidence of samples for testing and validate whether amounts were collected.
Unlike traditional audit tools that simply digitize manual processes, Audit Intelligence Test fundamentally reimagines how testing should work. The solution maintains rigorous audit quality standards while delivering unprecedented time savings through intelligent automation. As one professional noted, “It’s super freaking cool.”
The key differentiator lies in AI-powered automation that doesn’t just speed up existing workflows—it transforms them entirely. As Brad Oberlander, owner at Oberlander Financial Services PLLC, explains, “With Audit Intelligence Test, what used to take me two full days—around 16 hours—now takes just five to six hours per engagement. Organizing client materials and running tests is dramatically faster, allowing me to complete work in a fraction of the time. Using Test alongside Analyze significantly enhances audit sample selections and testing which boosts our efficiency even more.”
Additionally, Thomson Reuters has partnered with Validis to deliver AI-powered cash validation capabilities, bringing together best-in-class technologies to create a comprehensive testing solution that addresses every aspect of the audit testing challenge.
How it works: Automated audit testing in action
Streamlined data ingestion
Audit Intelligence Test begins with an easy process for obtaining general ledger data, bank statements, and supporting evidence. The solution includes integrated client communication capabilities that streamline document requests, eliminating the back-and-forth that typically characterizes evidence gathering.
The data ingestion process is designed for simplicity and efficiency, allowing audit teams to quickly access the information they need without the traditional delays and complications associated with manual data collection.
AI-powered matching
Once data is ingested, the real magic begins. The solution provides automated sorting and matching of sample evidence, eliminating several hours of manual work. Cash collection tracing from ledger to bank statements happens automatically, with AI identifying connections and relationships that might be missed through manual review.
The system provides clear indicators for matched documents, completely eliminating the need for manual matching work. As one early user stated, “Test helps save time on audits, with a reasonable expectation of saving 60% of testing time on transactions.”
Intelligent documentation
Perhaps most importantly, Audit Intelligence Test automates workpaper documentation, creating comprehensive audit trails that meet professional standards. Samples are automatically hyperlinked to corresponding documents, creating an integrated evidence package that reviewers can easily navigate and validate. One professional highlighted this quality dimension: “The documentation makes my review more efficient.”
This automated documentation capability addresses one of the most time-consuming aspects of audit testing while simultaneously improving quality and consistency across engagements. One early user captured this perfectly: “It could definitely save me a lot of time…3-4 hours, depending on how many samples, potentially more.”
Seamless integration
The solution works through a familiar Excel add-in interface, allowing auditors to leverage their existing skills and workflows. Full integration with Thomson Reuters Engagement Manager also ensures that testing results flow seamlessly into the broader audit documentation system.
Real results: Success stories
The results speak for themselves. Early-stage users from firms report expectations of “saving 60% of testing time on transactions,” while professionals consistently highlight substantial time savings. One noted that the solution “saved us at least a couple of hours on the audit,” while another observed potential savings of “a day’s worth” of work.
The time savings extend beyond individual tasks to entire engagement timelines. One professional remarked, “We’re looking at significant savings. Could save a day’s worth,” highlighting the cumulative impact of automation across multiple testing areas.
Quality improvements are equally impressive. The enhanced documentation capabilities make reviews more efficient, as one early user confirmed: “AI Test improves audit quality through the quality of documentation and how it ties to risk assessment.”
The enthusiasm from early adopters is palpable. Professionals describe the solution as “wicked cool” with “quite a bit there to wrap your mind around,” indicating that the technology delivers both functional benefits and an engaging user experience that energizes audit teams.
Take the next step with AI-powered audit testing
Audit Intelligence Test represents more than just another audit tool — it’s a fundamental transformation of how audit testing should work in the modern era. By leveraging advanced AI technology, audit firms can achieve unprecedented efficiency gains while maintaining the quality and rigor that professional standards demand.
The solution addresses every aspect of the testing challenge, from initial data gathering through final documentation, creating a seamless, automated workflow that frees auditors to focus on higher-value analysis and judgment.
Don’t let manual testing continue to drain your team’s time and energy. The future of audit testing is here, and it’s powered by intelligent automation that works within your existing workflows while delivering transformational results.
Ready to experience the difference for yourself? Learn more about Audit Intelligence Test and explore the full suite of AI-powered audit tools that are reshaping the profession. Your path to smarter, more efficient auditing starts today.
