construction; government contractor and technology; not-for-profit; real estate; emerging growth companies
forensic accounting; technology
Abstract:
Extensive research by professors at New York University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University continues to show that information workers, such as forensic accountants, with stronger IT skills are more productive than those without IT skills. By assessing whether your forensic accountant is leveraging technology in the following four areas, you’ll be able to identify whether that expert has the tech know-how to improve client satisfaction, lower costs, and increase overall value.
Project Planning
What planning tools does your forensic accountant use?
Technology can play a major role in this initial and critically important litigation support function. By leveraging project planning tools, such as Engagement Manager or Microsoft Project, forensic accountants develop a detailed project with tasks, milestones, deliverables and deadlines. Such a project plan assists in managing expectations, reducing tangents and communicating progress.
In addition to the typical questions you may ask your expert (knowledge & experience), further diligence regarding use of critical technology will provide insight that is useful in the selection process.
Please note that project plans do not limit the investigation team’s “creativity,” but rather allow them to focus on accomplishment of specific objectives. To learn the other key questions to ask your forensic accounting, download the PDF of the full article below.