Technology
Armanino Unveils SOC 2 Examination Tool
Audit Ally was designed to integrate into any SOC 2 engagement and improve automation and reporting capabilities.
Jan. 31, 2024
Top 20 accounting firm Armanino today released Audit Ally, a proprietary tool designed to automate and improve the efficiency of Service Organization Control 2 (SOC 2) examinations for both the client and the auditor.
“Designed to resolve the many headaches that arise during the traditional SOC 2 process, Audit Ally blends Armanino’s distinct capabilities in software development and cyber compliance,” the firm said in a news release. “From data collection under a centralized dashboard to audit process transparency, Audit Ally will make sourcing disparate data sets, tracking down specific compliance data, and slow reporting a thing of the past. Further, because Audit Ally is a tool designed to seamlessly integrate into Armanino’s SOC 2 examination process, it removes the reliance on third-party applications, which often results in inefficiency and difficulties in integration or outright rejection from auditors.”
Built in house by Armanino’s product and innovation division, led by AJ Yawn, Audit Ally provides clients a built-in tool to complement existing SOC 2 engagements with Armanino that will support the following:
Simplified, automated data collection: Audit Ally’s workflow automation will streamline tasks like control monitoring and audit reporting, eliminating manual processes and allowing businesses to focus on core priorities.
Centralized, transparent dashboard: Clients will be able to access a central hub for their company’s security and compliance data, have access to real-time data security statuses, engage in two-way communication for on-the-spot issue resolution, and centralize their documentation.
Full-cycle support: Audit Ally improves the SOC 2 readiness process, adding clarity to a traditionally confusing process, and allows for Type 1 and Type 2 examinations to be completed faster and with less operational disruption in future audits as well.
“Preparing readiness and leading SOC 2 examinations is a difficult and important job, and Audit Ally vastly improves their experience while enhancing quality further,” said Yawn, partner-in-charge of product and innovation for Armanino. “With Audit Ally, we will deploy further updates to the technology that will only improve the service clients receive and we see this as a long-term technological advancement for the industry, meaning this is just the start.”
Armanino CEO Matt Armanino added, “Armanino prides itself on not just looking around the curve and anticipating the future, but building it, and Audit Ally is a prime example of how we innovate. By pairing our software development talent with our assurance expertise, we’re able to develop proprietary tools that we believe will be a game-changer for SOC 2 compliance auditing, helping clients save time while allowing auditors to produce high-quality reports.”