The Audit Connection Blog
2018 Financial Data is Now Available!
The Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT) now contains the most recent financial information from nearly 1,800 local governments! ... CONTINUE READING
SAO passes peer review with flying colors
The Office of the Washington State Auditor recently passed its external peer review, which is a rigorous independent examination of the Office’s work conducted every three years. ... CONTINUE READING
SAO Roadshow taking the place of BARS Roundtables this fall
The Office of the Washington State Auditor is pleased to announce a new, expanded fall outreach event that takes the place of the BARS Roundtables. The SAO Roadshow will travel to a location near you beginning in October and offer a full day of assistance and training. ... CONTINUE READING
IT and facilities departments both can #BeCyberSmart
The Center for Government Innovation has developed two new cybersecurity resources to help local government professionals in IT departments but also in facilities departments as well. These resources provide guidance that is easy to understand and use. ... CONTINUE READING
Where are your payments going this month?
It is common practice to use automated clearing house (ACH) systems to pay state and local government employees and vendors. However, frauds associated with ACH systems are rising dramatically, particularly for direct deposit paychecks. ... CONTINUE READING
SAO now issues public report on each fraud investigation
To meet stakeholders' needs and increase transparency, going forward SAO will report all fraud investigations through a public report that will be published on our website. In the past, smaller losses had been reported to management in a letter rather than in a public report. ... CONTINUE READING
New manager takes helm of South King County office
Saundra Groshong, audit manager for our South King County team, has left SAO after 19 years of service. Taking her place as team audit manager is Alex Beherndt. ... CONTINUE READING
More ways to #BeCyberSmart for the finance and legal departments of local governments
Cybersecurity is complex, and it can be hard to understand what your role is in keeping your organization safe from threats. The Center for Government Innovation has developed two new resources specifically for finance and legal staff at local governments. Staff in these departments play an important role in cybersecurity, and these resources provide understandable and actionable guidance and relevant information. ... CONTINUE READING
Auditor announces adjustment to hourly billing rate
This week, Auditor Pat McCarthy notified local governments of a coming adjustment to the hourly local audit billing rate. ... CONTINUE READING
Government data tells a story with FIT – just take a look at what you can learn about drainage and diking districts
The Office of the Washington State Auditor collects financial information from nearly 2,000 local governments each year and displays this data intuitively through the Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT). We explore what can be learned about government by being curious in their financial data. We encourage you to find something interesting and learn about all the local governments that serve the citizens of our state. What story will you find? ... CONTINUE READING