Training Module
Training Module
Audit Reporting & Follow-up
Understand how to write evidence-based findings, structure audit reports, and follow up agreed actions to verified closure.
Understand
Implement
Manage
Audit
Training module overview
Reporting and follow-up are where audit work becomes visible — and where weaknesses most often appear: unclear findings, inconsistent classifications, reports that don’t support decisions, and follow-up that closes actions on paper rather than in practice.
This module focuses on the auditor’s responsibilities for formulating findings, producing concise reports for defined audiences, and running follow-up that verifies closure against agreed criteria. It interfaces with the organisation’s corrective action and improvement process but does not teach improvement system design or root cause methods.
Reporting and follow-up are where audit work becomes visible — and where weaknesses most often appear: unclear findings, inconsistent classifications, reports that don’t support decisions, and follow-up that closes actions on paper rather than in practice.
This module focuses on the auditor’s responsibilities for formulating findings, producing concise reports for defined audiences, and running follow-up that verifies closure against agreed criteria. It interfaces with the organisation’s corrective action and improvement process but does not teach improvement system design or root cause methods.
Target audience
Internal auditors who draft findings and contribute to audit reports
Lead internal auditors responsible for consolidating and issuing audit reports
Auditors involved in follow-up and verification of action completion/effectiveness
Internal auditors who draft findings and contribute to audit reports
Lead internal auditors responsible for consolidating and issuing audit reports
Auditors involved in follow-up and verification of action completion/effectiveness
Agenda
Role of reporting and follow-up in the audit cycle
What the report and follow-up must achieve (for auditees and governance)
Common failure modes: ambiguity, overload, “paper closure”
Writing clear, evidence-based findings
Requirement–evidence–statement of issue (keeping inference separate)
Writing discipline: objective language, traceability, no implied solutions
Classification and prioritisation using agreed criteria
Consistent categories (e.g., nonconformity / observation) as defined by the audit framework
Priority/severity using organisational criteria (without re-performing risk assessment)
Structuring audit reports for defined audiences
Minimum viable report content vs. extended reporting
Executive summary and thematic consolidation (what leaders actually need)
From findings to owned actions
What “acceptable action” looks like from an auditor perspective (specificity, ownership, due dates)
Interface with the organisation’s corrective action / improvement workflow (handover points)
Follow-up and effectiveness verification
Tracking, status logic, and escalation routes
Verifying closure: evidence expectations and proportionate effectiveness checks
Workshop (case-based)
Rewrite weak findings and classify consistently (Halderstone case)
Draft a concise report section and define follow-up verification steps (Halderstone case)
Role of reporting and follow-up in the audit cycle
What the report and follow-up must achieve (for auditees and governance)
Common failure modes: ambiguity, overload, “paper closure”
Writing clear, evidence-based findings
Requirement–evidence–statement of issue (keeping inference separate)
Writing discipline: objective language, traceability, no implied solutions
Classification and prioritisation using agreed criteria
Consistent categories (e.g., nonconformity / observation) as defined by the audit framework
Priority/severity using organisational criteria (without re-performing risk assessment)
Structuring audit reports for defined audiences
Minimum viable report content vs. extended reporting
Executive summary and thematic consolidation (what leaders actually need)
From findings to owned actions
What “acceptable action” looks like from an auditor perspective (specificity, ownership, due dates)
Interface with the organisation’s corrective action / improvement workflow (handover points)
Follow-up and effectiveness verification
Tracking, status logic, and escalation routes
Verifying closure: evidence expectations and proportionate effectiveness checks
Workshop (case-based)
Rewrite weak findings and classify consistently (Halderstone case)
Draft a concise report section and define follow-up verification steps (Halderstone case)
Course ID:
HAM-ARF-1
Audience:
Auditor
Domain:
Agnostic
Available in:
English
Duration:
7 h
List price:
CHF 550
Excl. VAT. VAT may apply depending on customer location and status.
What you get
Learning outcomes
Write audit findings that are traceable to requirements and supported by documented evidence
Distinguish observation, nonconformity, and other agreed finding types using consistent criteria
Produce concise audit reports with clear structure, summaries, and audience-appropriate emphasis
Specify what “adequate action definition” looks like (ownership, clarity, due date, measurable completion) without designing the improvement system
Run a follow-up routine that tracks actions, applies escalation paths, and avoids symbolic closure
Verify closure using appropriate evidence and proportionate effectiveness checks
Write audit findings that are traceable to requirements and supported by documented evidence
Distinguish observation, nonconformity, and other agreed finding types using consistent criteria
Produce concise audit reports with clear structure, summaries, and audience-appropriate emphasis
Specify what “adequate action definition” looks like (ownership, clarity, due date, measurable completion) without designing the improvement system
Run a follow-up routine that tracks actions, applies escalation paths, and avoids symbolic closure
Verify closure using appropriate evidence and proportionate effectiveness checks
Learning materials
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Templates & tools
Audit Finding Template (traceability fields and writing prompts)
Finding quality checklist (objectivity, evidence linkage, clarity)
Audit Report Template (short + extended)
Action follow-up log (tracker)
Closure & effectiveness verification checklist / form
Audit Finding Template (traceability fields and writing prompts)
Finding quality checklist (objectivity, evidence linkage, clarity)
Audit Report Template (short + extended)
Action follow-up log (tracker)
Closure & effectiveness verification checklist / form
Prerequisites
This module assumes participants can participate in audits and recognise requirements and evidence in a management system context. Helpful baseline knowledge includes:
Basic management system auditing concepts (purpose, criteria, evidence, conclusions)
Familiarity with management system documentation and process descriptions
This module assumes participants can participate in audits and recognise requirements and evidence in a management system context. Helpful baseline knowledge includes:
Basic management system auditing concepts (purpose, criteria, evidence, conclusions)
Familiarity with management system documentation and process descriptions
Strongly recommended preparatory modules
Audit Foundations: Principles, Evidence & Judgement
Core audit mindset, evidence logic, materiality-based focus, and audit test plan design.
7 h
Audit Foundations: Principles, Evidence & Judgement
Core audit mindset, evidence logic, materiality-based focus, and audit test plan design.
7 h
Audit Foundations: Principles, Evidence & Judgement
Core audit mindset, evidence logic, materiality-based focus, and audit test plan design.
7 h
Conducting Confident, Objective, and Insightful Audit Conversations
Interview planning, questioning, and conversation control for reliable audit evidence
7 h
Conducting Confident, Objective, and Insightful Audit Conversations
Interview planning, questioning, and conversation control for reliable audit evidence
7 h
Conducting Confident, Objective, and Insightful Audit Conversations
Interview planning, questioning, and conversation control for reliable audit evidence
7 h
Continuous learning
Follow-up modules
Follow-up modules
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.