The Use of Data Analytics in Internal and External Audit

Data Analytics is one of the fast-developing applications of IT in organizations worldwide. This Master's thesis examines data analytics in the context of internal and external audit. Principal aim of the thesis is to identify the opportunities for data analytics application in both audit disciplines. Secondary goal is to design a data-analytical procedure, apply it to actual business data and thus demonstrate the benefits of employing data analytics. The thesis builds on a summary of theoretical sources of the relevant area, followed by a survey conducted by the author. The survey maps current state of data analytics usage in both internal and external audit in the Czech Republic. The added value of this thesis is, apart from the identification of audit areas in which it is beneficial to use data analytics, the design of an analytical procedure and its application. Another benefit is the survey revealing current state of the art and the insights of interviewed auditors, pointing to both benefits and problems of data analytics application to the performance of the audit profession