Manual internal control systems cannot withstand the digital transformation.
Business processes in SAP are complex and are continuously adapted due to the digital transformation. The lack of adaptation and automation of manual internal controls results in a high control effort without significant risk minimization.
Especially when applying legal requirements such as the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX) or the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (J-SOX), a lot of time is spent on proving control activities and control tests and the actual risk minimization is pushed into the background. It is only a matter of time before data analysis becomes a mandatory part of the ICS.
Internal controls are a pain and a disincentive to doing business.
This impression arises when internal controls have decoupled from the business process and documentation has become more important than control.
Even when using data analytics or platforms in the ICS, business users are annoyed when they are overwhelmed by “red flags” and then have to document them outside their familiar environment on an unfamiliar platform.
If there are no data analysts or if they are not very enthusiastic about internal control systems, collaboration can quickly become a challenge and is usually short-lived.
Continuous Control Monitoring continuously digitizes SAP-based controls and adapts them to the changing processes.
A bit better every year.
Efficiency creates acceptance: The solution focuses on you as a business user and shows you the control indications in Microsoft Teams for direct processing.
You don’t need data analysts at any time, because we develop the Continuous Control Monitoring Apps tailor-made for you. Our software zapContinuous organizes the data management, runs the apps and distributes the results according to your specifications in Microsoft Teams.
We know: Processes change. That’s why we measure your processes fully automatically once a year with zapAudit, adapt the apps for you and develop new ones together. Our goal is to get better every year.
Use Cases
Versatile and quick application
- ICS in the sales process
- ICS authorizations
- Master data controls
- ICS in the purchasing process
- ICS in accounting
- ICS SAP Basis
- Tax ICS
- ICS in fixed assets
- ICS in inventories
Your individual ICS
Individualized, continuous, smart.
Our CCM solution has a well thought-out method: We are flexible in the implementation, but always start with phase 1.
What goes without saying: Our Customer Success Team provides you with continuous support. When you sign a contract, you’ll be assigned a personal Customer Success Specialist. Together, you first define your goals in order to ensure continuous support during implementation and day-to-day challenges.
Phase 1 - Opportunity Assessment
We determine the status quo of the organization with zapAudit. Fully automated and standardized so that the results can be compared and continuously assessed within the organization.
In the CCM workshop, the business department, the SAP application owners, the compliance department and we jointly develop the top 5-10 controls with the highest automation potential. The basis is the zapAudit benchmarking, the current ICS and our joint experience.
In the Control Design Workshop, we define the data scope, control parameters and control owners for each control and organizational unit. The simpler, the better.
Phase 2 - Setup
Each control is implemented by us in a control monitoring app and configured according to the control design workshop. The app is uploaded to zapContinuous and tested in the test system.
zapContinuous is installed on your server according to the specifications. zapContinuous requires a reading user in SAP. The data scope configured in each app extracts the data step by step via RFC and stores it on the server.
zapContinuous examines the extracted data and plays out any anomalies in Microsoft Teams. The connection to your teams is initially set up and tested.
Phase 3 - Go-Live
Each Control Monitoring App is tested with the control teams using test data. The individual documentation requirements are part of the training.
zapContinuous extracts the initial data extract from SAP and analyzes the data with the Control Monitoring Apps. Anomalies are sent to the team groups and processed and documented by the responsible persons according to the control design. From now on, the data is extracted from SAP and analyzed step by step in a defined cycle.
During the first year, we will also review your experience together on a monthly basis and derive further training or customization needs for the Control Monitoring Apps.
Phase 4 - Benchmark & Improve
Our goal is constant, continuous improvement.
Once a year, we determine the status quo of the organization with zapAudit. Fully automated and standardized so that the results can be compared and continuously assessed within the organization.
In the CCM workshop, we jointly develop the necessary next steps annually on the basis of the zapAudit benchmarking. Have there been process changes that make it necessary to adapt the existing control monitoring apps? Which top 5-10 controls now have the highest automation potential?
For each new and customizable control monitoring app, we define the data scope, control parameters, and control owners per control and organizational unit in the Control Design Workshop.
Phase 5 - Roll-out
Phase 1-4 are the blueprint for each new organizational unit.
