The ensuing discussion presents a brief history of the origins of continuous auditing and
continuous assurance; the development of continuous auditing applications and various alternatives
available to companies and auditors; the current state of continuous monitoring and assurance
of ERPs in practice; and where we see continuous auditing and overall assurance heading in
the future in order to increase the clarity of the current state and provide suggestions for future
research that would allow academic researchers to support and lead the growth and evolution. Our
perspectives are founded in deep practical experience with ERP systems placed within the context
of the evolving theory and research on continuous auditing.1