Auditing archiving systems
– IDW RS FAIT 3

Back to IT & system auditing

More and more companies are choosing to use electronic archiving systems to access information quickly and easily, streamline work processes, or manage and document controlling processes via IT systems. This can be associated with risks, since the archiving systems must fulfill commercial and tax law requirements. We review whether archiving systems conform to specified requirements (principles of proper bookkeeping when using electronic archiving processes), and regularly prepare the associated process documentation.

In Germany, storage and archiving obligations are regulated under Sec. 257 HGB (German Commercial Code) for commercial law and Sec. 147 f AO (tax code) for tax law purposes. These regulations are supplemented under commercial law by IDW RS FAIT 3, the position statement on accounting by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW – Institute of Public Auditors).

In the area of tax law, requirements are outlined in detail in the Principles for proper management and storage of ledgers, records and documents in electronic form and data access (GoBD). in addition, the VAT Act also contains regulations on storing invoices (Sections 14 and 14 b VAT Act).

We offer audits of archiving systems and archiving processes against this regulatory backdrop.

Our services:

  • Auditing the IT organization and IT infrastructure relevant for archiving, as well as the IT environment
  • Support for archiving processes (recording, indexing, storage and management, formulation, destruction)
  • Setting up the archiving system (system parameters, logical and physical access control, etc.)
  • Auditing and monitoring the internal controlling system
  • Advising on outsourcing archival processes

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