Infrastructure to drive audit quality 

Our Global Assurance Quality Network and Professional Practice Group work together to support the delivery of quality audits. The global System of Quality Management network and quality leaders within non-Assurance service lines are additional catalysts who drive consistent and sustainable quality across the organization.

Content overview

• Global Assurance Quality Network
• Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Monitoring adherence to pacing milestones
• Usage of EY Canvas Client Portal requests
• Designing and providing in-flight coaching
• Designing and deploying enablement for new technology
• Designing and deploying enablement to address new or revised auditing standards and methodology enhancements
• Professional Practice

Global Assurance Quality Network

The EY Global Assurance Quality Network is a group of senior Assurance leaders around the world who support audit teams and practice leaders in delivering high-quality audits.

Our Global Assurance Quality Network is instrumental in serving as:

• Experienced change agents who clearly communicate upcoming changes and explain the reasons behind them to encourage positive behaviors.
• Dedicated methodology leaders who guide teams through audit strategies and answer technical questions.
• Risk management leaders who oversee audit portfolios, stay alert to signs of risks and positively step in when needed to address issues.
• Operational drivers who enforce policies and support our System of Quality Management by monitoring pacing milestones, executive involvement, partner workloads and driving consistency across the globe.

They also keep audit quality front and center by focusing on key performance indicators, milestones and audit pacing, executive involvement, coaching and local quality networks.

Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs)

In addition to reviewing our annual System of Quality Management results, Assurance leadership monitors how we are executing our strategy and quality priorities using a mix of key performance indicators (KPIs). No single metric tells the whole story of audit quality, but together, these KPIs give us a clear picture.

Through tools, practice and policies that are leveraged across the globe, we gather country-specific data every month on a range of topics. Our KPIs cover both leading and lagging indicators, including inspection results, audit pacing and execution, resource demands and workforce planning. Each KPI is measured against local and global targets and if something stands out, we create a plan to address it. These KPIs are also aligned to our accountability frameworks, helping reinforce priorities for country leaders. The KPIs are subject to an annual review to help them stay relevant and support our quality initiatives.

Examples of EY KPIs include:

• Internal and external inspection results
• Adherence to engagement pacing milestones and executive involvement
• Actual vs. planned headcount

Our global KPI dashboard helps leaders at every level see whether our actions are working as intended or if we need to make adjustments.

Monitoring adherence to pacing milestones

Good project management helps audit teams stay focused on the most important risks throughout the audit. It also makes it easier to balance workloads by allocating the right amount of time to complete the right tasks and involving executives in a timely way.

Milestones set clear due dates for important phases of the audit. When used well, they help teams avoid time compression during busy season. A well-paced, organized audit makes work less stressful. Team members that work together to keep a steady pace — by tackling issues and clearing review notes in real time — report higher morale and a stronger sense of ownership and accomplishment.

Project management also encourages auditors to be thoughtful and intentional at every stage, speeding up learning and making the audit experience more meaningful. On our global audit platform, EY Canvas, project management is powered by the Milestones program. Dashboards in EY Canvas and the EY Canvas Reporting Hub break the audit cycle into specific tasks, with clear dates and steps to help teams finish on time with proper supervision and review. We track adherence to Milestones using KPIs and if teams fall behind, we step in to help — this is part of our System of Quality Management.

Usage of EY Canvas Client Portal requests

EY Canvas allows EY teams to send clients requests for documents needed to support the audit or for work performed by internal audit, as permitted by local laws and regulations. Clients can view and respond to requests as well as upload documents, through the EY Canvas Client Portal. They can see requests assigned to them or to their group (like accounting, payroll or internal audit). The EY Canvas Client Portal also offers several features to help clients with project management.

Designing and providing in-flight coaching

Across the EY network, more than 1,500 engagements receive coaching through our global program. This coaching focuses on areas with more pervasive inspection findings, where new enablement has been deployed, or when new or revised auditing standards need to be applied.

Coaching also helps audit teams who are using new technology and there are automated tools and techniques to help make sure they are confident and skilled with these solutions.

Observations from these coaching sessions are shared with our audit teams. For items that are more significant, local representatives from the Global Assurance Quality Network step in to help teams address these issues before the issuance of the auditor’s report.

Designing and deploying enablement for new technology

Working with technology product owners and Global Professional Practice, the Global Assurance Quality Network creates and rolls out enablement and local implementation plans to help audit teams use automated tools and techniques as designed. Local quality networks support the roll out so teams can put these tools into practice effectively.

Enablement is designed to be intuitive and digestible (e.g., short videos), connecting the technology and audit methodology so teams understand the “why” behind the tools. Before tools are released, the Global Assurance Quality Network works closely with the technology leadership team and Global Professional Practice to agree which automated tools and techniques will be mandatory.

Designing and deploying enablement to address new or revised auditing standards and methodology enhancements

The Global Assurance Quality Network also works with Global Professional Practice and other stakeholders to create and roll out enablement that supports the adoption of new or revised auditing standards, as well as enhancements to the EY Global Audit Methodology (EY GAM).

Implementation plans are co-developed by the Global Assurance Quality Network and member firm quality networks. These plans activate champion and coaching networks to drive adoption and maintain a continuous feedback loop after deployment.

Professional Practice

The Global Professional Practice Group is a global network of technical subject-matter professionals who consult with EY teams on accounting, auditing, and other financial and non-financial reporting matters. They also provide quality management oversight and monitoring, as well as other risk management activities.

The group develops guidance on accounting, auditing and sustainability, along with learning resources and quality oversight policies for the EY network. They also create the tools and enablement that help audit professionals deliver consistent, effective audits.

The Global Vice Chair of Professional Practice, also called the Global Professional Practice Director (Global PPD), is overseen by the Global Vice Chair of Assurance and sets global audit quality control policies and procedures. The Global PPD leads the Global Professional Practice Group, which includes both Regional PPD Directors and PPD subject matter leaders to execute network oversight responsibilities. This structure supports objectivity in audit quality and consultation processes.

The Global PPD oversees EY GAM related audit policies and audit technologies, updating them as needed to stay aligned with professional standards and regulatory requirements. Global Professional Practice also oversees the development of the guidance, training and monitoring programs used by audit professionals to help deliver consistent, effective audits. In addition, the group creates accounting and auditing guidance to address event-specific issues like geopolitical conflicts or economic volatility.

Global, Regional and Country PPDs — along with their colleagues in each member firm — are always available for consultation with EY audit teams.

Additional resources within Global Professional Practice include professionals focused on: 

• Internal-control reporting and related aspects of the EY GAM 
• Accounting, auditing and risk issues for specific topics, industries and sectors
• General engagement matters and how to work effectively with those charged with governance

The Country PPD has operational responsibility for monitoring the member firm’s System of Quality Management. This includes agreeing with — or recommending changes to — the annual evaluation conclusion. Representatives from Global Professional Practice coordinate and monitor the System of Quality Management monitoring process.