Integrated Audit Report Editing for Consistent Multi-User Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audit report generation methods suffer from media interruptions, inconsistencies, redundant data storage, and manual reconciliation efforts due to separate data entry in audit software and word processors, limiting collaboration and enforcing strict formatting rules, leading to errors and inconsistencies.
Innovation Solution
An integrated audit report system that allows multiple users to collaborate on a single editable document within a word processing system, where data is stored directly in the database, ensuring immediate synchronization and conflict resolution through time-stamped access control and fragment-based editing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If audit report is generated in external document separate from audit documentation, then report writing flexibility is improved, but data consistency between report and database deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the audit documentation database and the audit report document into an integrated system where the report is generated directly from the database contents. The report document contains embedded links to database records, and any changes in the database automatically update the report, eliminating data consistency issues while maintaining formatting flexibility through the word processor interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary interpreter component that analyzes the audit report document and automatically transposes contents back into the audit software database. This mediator ensures that changes made in the word processor are reflected in the database, maintaining consistency between the two systems without requiring manual intervention.
2Reliability
If auditor enters all contents into audit software and generates report using template, then data consistency is improved, but report generation time and complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining report templates with standardized structures, formatting rules, and mandatory fields. These templates are prepared in advance and stored in the system, so when audit data is entered into the database, the report can be generated immediately by simply populating the template with database contents, eliminating the need for manual report construction each time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service report generation where the audit software automatically generates the report document from the database contents using the predefined template. The interpreter component also automatically updates the database when changes are made to the report, eliminating manual transposition work and reducing report generation time while maintaining consistency.
3Ease of operation
If audit report document is processed further and portions extracted and transposed back into audit software, then report flexibility is improved, but manual effort and inconsistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary interpreter component that automatically analyzes the audit report document and transposes contents back into the audit software database. This automated intermediary eliminates manual transposition effort and ensures consistency between the report and database, while still allowing flexible processing of the report document in the word processor.
4Productivity
If multiple users work on single text document, then collaboration is improved, but data synchronization and conflict resolution worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors changes made by multiple users to the audit report document. When changes are detected, the system automatically updates the database and notifies other users of the changes. This real-time feedback loop ensures that all users work with the latest data version, maintaining synchronization and resolving conflicts automatically without requiring manual coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for integrated generation of an audit report accessible by plural users that includes the steps of providing a computer connected to a communications network, loading audit software into the computer, providing a display for the computer for viewing by a user, generating an editable audit report from a database, and displaying the editable audit report on the display. The user enters data into the editable audit report which provides a template for entry of the data where the data entered into the editable audit report is stored in the database.