OIGs Work Better When Audit and Investigations Can Work Together

Auditors and investigators across federal, state, and local governments promote accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness. Auditors are responsible for conducting analyses of agency operations to foster answerability and transparency. An investigator’s role is to examine reported incidents by conducting research and gathering evidence to determine where illegal activity has occurred. While these two roles have clear distinctions, they share the common mission of combatting fraud, waste, and abuse. In some cases, audits can trigger a more formal investigation. Other times, findings from an investigation might prompt an agency-wide audit.

Shared Challenges Span Audit and Investigations Teams

Carrying out this mission is not a simple task. In fact, investigators and auditors face many similar challenges.

• Rigid semi-annual OIG reporting requirements
• Compliance with government standards, such as Yellow Book
• Growth in data volume and complexity
• Cost requirements for auditor capture or field intel
• An aging workforce contributing to staffing shortages

These challenges are just the tip of the iceberg. When agencies are reliant on outdated, fragmented technologies, it makes overcoming these challenges even more difficult.

Distinct Platforms for Audit and Investigations

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A Single Implementation and Aligned Training and Support

• Consistent user experience across the OIG
• A secure environment for easier collaboration across projects
• Low-code solutions designed around Audit and Investigations processes for fast deployment
• Selective sharing of evidence, subjects, and records saves time and duplicative work
• Clear roles and permissions protect sensitive data and limit data access

Individual Applications That Work Better Together

With a single suite built for the unique requirements of OIGs, agencies can decide when and how their investigations and audit software systems should integrate, creating secure, role-based permissions that make sense for their unique policies and workflows.

Managing audit and investigations in the same platform increases efficiency by allowing data sharing via secure, role-based permissions that verify when information is needed, such as when an audit triggers an investigation. This limits the tedious task of searching for and documenting data that is already in the system, freeing up time to focus on more strategic work. The benefits extend to end-users through consistent training and a seamless user experience. Meanwhile, leadership gains access to centralized dashboards, empowering them to report up to their Inspector General and make strategic decisions. From an implementation perspective, agencies benefit from a condensed timeline, reduced maintenance fees, streamlined training, and an easier Authority to Operate (ATO) process.

The OPEXUS eCASE Audit and Investigations case management suite provides a cost-effective and efficient solution to OIGs and other agencies to manage these two critical functions in a similar platform.

About OPEXUS

With OPEXUS, get government unstuck. OPEXUS is the leader in FedRAMP-certified government process management software with more than 30 years of experience supporting public institutions. The company brings operational excellence to governments’ middle office so agencies can focus on the critical work of mission delivery. OPEXUS empowers 100,000 government users with exceptional technology experience and a built-for-government product suite, including solutions for audit, investigations, correspondence, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and employee & labor. Located in the heart of Washington D.C., OPEXUS works with more than 150 public institutions in the US and Canada.