Qurius successfully releases worldwide audit process tool for BDO

Zaltbommel - With effect from 1 September 2010, BDO, the world’s fifth largest audit & accountancy network, began implementing its new audit process tool built by ICT solutions provider Qurius from The Netherlands. The audit process software tool will be used by more than 20,000 audit partners and staff in BDO Member Firms in all 116 countries in which BDO operates. The assignment amounts to several million euros, and was commissioned to Qurius in 2008. The project was delivered on time and will be used by BDO for performing financial statement audits in alignment with International Standards on Auditing as well as local rules and regulations.

Jeremy Newman, CEO of BDO, comments: “We were seeking a state of the art platform that not only had to meet all international auditing standards, but also had to fit our network’s objective of delivering a consistently seamless service to our clients worldwide. Qurius has been able to help us translate our complex requirements into user friendly and flexible technology, which helps our people to deliver the constant quality our clients rely on.”

Leen Zevenbergen, CEO Qurius NV: “We are very proud of this achievement with BDO. We enable our clients to realize sustainable success by creating solutions that benefit their customers as well as their employees. To make such a challenging project a success, not only is a dedicated, excellent professional team required, but trust and partnership are also crucial.”

New technology for new ways of working

The audit process tool designed and built by Qurius reduces complexity, improves efficiency and ensures a clear alignment with IAASB’s International Standards on Auditing. The technology is Microsoft based and uses Groove, InfoPath and SharePoint, making the solution based on standard components so new versions can be integrated seamlessly, and enabling BDO partners and staff to collaborate efficiently. At the same time the tool is tailor-made to suit the specific, high quality needs of BDO and its clients’ businesses. It is a flexible solution that gives BDO the ability to adapt local regulations and changes in international auditing standards.

The new platform fully fits in with the new way of working, where users can collaborate in constantly changing teams of knowledge workers at any place, at any time, whether or not connected to their IT networks. The ‘single customer views’ give users a clear insight into the status of a client’s audit process, thus reducing complexity and risk. Microsoft has been intensively cooperating with Qurius, with this being the current largest worldwide Groove project. Groove is the key component that allows the storage of audit data in a secure central place without any user intervention. This will enable BDO partners and staff to focus on providing top service to their clients and not spend time on non-value added activities like manual back-ups.

The project was led by Qurius in the Netherlands, in cooperation with other Qurius countries that supported the international roll-out of the project.