Find out where a process leaks before it costs you.
A system audit is a focused examination of the processes, procedures and controls a specific function or department follows in its day-to-day work. Where an internal audit assesses the organisation as a whole, a system audit narrows the lens to a single system of working, procurement, payroll, inventory, sales and collections, petty cash, HR onboarding, or any defined process cycle, and tests whether the documented procedure is the procedure actually being followed. In the UAE, where businesses scale quickly and processes are often established informally before being written down, the gap between policy and practice is where financial loss, compliance failure and fraud most commonly originate.
CashLaw Global's system audit practice begins by documenting the system as it exists in practice, through process walkthroughs, interviews with the staff performing the work and inspection of the records the process generates. We then test that system against three benchmarks: the organisation's own documented policy, applicable UAE regulatory requirements, and established control principles such as segregation of duties, authorisation limits and audit trail integrity. Sample transactions are traced end to end to confirm that controls operate as described rather than merely existing on paper. Findings are presented with risk ratings, a clear explanation of the exposure each gap creates, and practical recommendations that account for the size of your team and the resources available to implement them.
Book a free consultation with our team and get expert guidance on system audit in the UAE.
Book Free ConsultationAn internal audit assesses the full control environment across an organisation. A system audit is narrower and deeper, examining one department or one process cycle in detail. Businesses often commission a system audit when a specific area is causing concern, following a loss or discrepancy, ahead of scaling a function, or when an internal audit has flagged a particular process for closer review.
Procurement and supplier payments, payroll, inventory and stock control, cash handling and petty cash, sales and receivables, and expense approvals are the most frequently requested. Any process with a defined sequence of steps, a monetary value passing through it, or a compliance obligation attached to it can be audited.
No. Fieldwork is built around your team's schedule and most of the evidence we need already exists in your records. Staff involvement is generally limited to short walkthrough interviews explaining how the work is done in practice. We agree the timetable with you before we begin.