The Role of Continuous Auditing in Supporting and Achieving the Characteristics of Accounting Information in Electronically Published Financial Reports

Abstract

The study aimed to demonstrate the role of continuous auditing in supporting and achieving the characteristics of accounting information in financial reports published electronically. To achieve the objectives of the study, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed to auditing offices. After collecting and analyzing the data using appropriate statistical methods and techniques, a set of results were reached, the most important of which are: There is a role for continuous auditing in supporting and achieving the appropriateness characteristic of financial reports published electronically through the contribution of continuous auditing in obtaining information at the appropriate time, and it also helps in providing an effective predictive value to users of financial reports at an appropriate time. Among the results is also the role of continuous auditing in supporting and achieving the characteristic of reliability and credibility in financial reports published electronically by helping to add confidence to the immediate disclosure of companies via the Internet, and producing honest financial information that can be relied upon and trusted. Accordingly, the study concluded with a set of recommendations, the most important of which are: the necessity for public and private entities that publish their financial statements electronically to adopt the continuous review approach as a basis for reviewing their financial statements, with legislative and professional bodies obligating auditing companies and offices to conduct continuous review, in addition to qualifying auditors to carry out these tasks by conducting training courses and obligating them to attend them to keep pace with the most important technological developments in the modern business environment.