Chapter 10: Auditing the Expenditure Cycle
employs batch processing and uses sequential files for storing accounting data. This type of system is an example of an early legacy system. This approach characterizes the era of data ownership in which files were designed exclusively for the use of a single user. Data sharing is virtually impossible in this setting and results in a great deal of data redun- dancy and data obsolescence. Second, we review the operational features of a modern system that employs real-time processing and uses direct access files or databases. The final example depicts a modern payroll system that uses realtime processing and data- base technology.
You should recognize that space limitations prohibit a review of all possible config- urations of processing technologies, techniques, and file structures. The objective, in- stead, is to present examples of fundamentally different approaches that are typically found in practice and examine their control and audit implications.