Modernize Your Audit Management Process with ServiceNow for Lasting Business Success 

Audit management is a critical function in every business, especially in industries with strict compliance requirements such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Effective audit processes help organizations identify risks, ensure regulatory adherence, and maintain operational efficiency.  

However, despite its significance, many businesses still rely on manual, disconnected, and inefficient audit processes. These outdated methods not only introduce errors but also drive up costs and create substantial compliance risks. As a result, organizations struggle to maintain audit accuracy, efficiency, and regulatory alignment. 

With this fragmented approach to internal audits, businesses commonly face four major challenges: 

1. Disconnected Systems and Disparate Data – Many organizations still conduct audits using spreadsheets, emails, Google Forms, or SharePoint, resulting in a lack of centralized data access. Without a unified repository, audit information is scattered across multiple locations, making it difficult to track compliance and identify gaps. Moreover, manual processes increase the risk of human error and inconsistencies, forcing teams to waste valuable time on redundant tasks like validating data or revisiting questionnaires instead of focusing on strategic audit insights. 
2. Lengthy and Inefficient Processes – Manual audit processes are notoriously slow and resource intensive. Reviews and approvals often get delayed due to scattered communication and a lack of real-time collaboration. In addition, auditors spend excessive time on repetitive tasks such as manual data entry, cross-referencing reports, and tracking down missing information. As a result, by the time one audit is completed, the next one is already overdue—forcing teams into a constant cycle of reactive firefighting rather than proactive risk management.  
3. Risk of Non-Compliance – Regulatory requirements are constantly evolving, and without real-time insights, businesses face heightened compliance risks. Non-compliance can result in operational disruptions or, in severe cases, business shutdowns. Additionally, missed deadlines can lead to costly fines and penalties, while slow reporting makes it difficult to identify and address issues before they escalate. Ultimately, the cost of falling behind on compliance far outweighs the investment required to improve the audit process. 
4. Lack of Visibility into KPIs – Without a centralized, automated system, organizations struggle to gain real-time visibility into audit performance and risk exposure. Without a single source of truth for compliance reporting, teams are left in the dark about key risk indicators, making it difficult to assess vulnerabilities or take proactive measures. This lack of insight is particularly problematic because, if risks remain unseen, they cannot be effectively mitigated, leaving businesses exposed to potential compliance failures and operational disruptions. 

This outdated audit management process leaves companies handling audits as one-off events, forcing teams into cycles of last-minute evidence gathering, rushed reviews, and reactive compliance fixes. This is a high-risk, high-cost approach that creates unnecessary stress and exposes the business to potential penalties. 

ServiceNow Audit Management Explained 

To mitigate the business risks and inefficiencies caused by these challenges, organizations must modernize their audit management strategy with automated solutions. A leading example is ServiceNow Audit Management, which streamlines audit workflows, centralizes data, and provides real-time visibility into compliance and risk.  

To fully grasp the value of ServiceNow Audit Management, it’s essential to understand its connection to the broader ServiceNow Integrated Risk Management (IRM) platform. ServiceNow IRM is a unified platform that helps to proactively manage risk, compliance, and audit processes in an integrated and automated way. It includes four key areas: 

• Policy & Compliance Management: Ensures internal policies align with regulatory requirements. 

• Risk Management: Identifies, evaluates, and mitigates risks before they become critical issues. 

• Audit Management: Centralizes and automates internal audits to improve accuracy and efficiency. 

• Regulatory Change Management: Ensures organizations stay ahead of evolving compliance requirements. 

This powerful platform serves as a 360-degree risk management framework enabling organizations to reduce risk exposure, improve operational resilience, and gain real-time visibility into compliance status.  

As a key component of ServiceNow IRM, ServiceNow Audit Management automates the entire audit lifecycle and seamlessly integrates with the risk, compliance, and governance functions, providing a unified approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks. This integration enables organizations to streamline audit processes while ensuring alignment with overall risk management strategies, ultimately enhancing efficiency, transparency, and regulatory compliance. 

Business Benefits of ServiceNow Audit Management 

With ServiceNow Audit Management, organizations can take control of their audit process. In addition to addressing the challenges associated with outdated audit management processes, organizations that modernize with Service Audit Management will experience myriad technical benefits, including:  

• Optimized Audit Processes: Replacing manual processes eliminates bottlenecks, enhances accuracy, improves efficiency, and eliminates repetitive data entry. 

• Consistently Faster Audits: No more scrambling to collect evidence from different systems at the last minute. 

• A Proactive Risk Posture: Issues are flagged and resolved before they escalate into compliance failures. 

Businesses that optimize their audit process in this way don’t just meet compliance standards—they turn audits into a competitive advantage. This is because, rather than treating the audit process as a check-the-box obligation, they use it to gain strategic advantages that set them apart. Specifically, they achieve the following business benefits:  

• Operational Efficiency: A structured, automated audit process highlights inefficiencies that impact the bottom line. 

• Market Trust: Investors, partners, and regulators trust companies that demonstrate strong governance and compliance. 

• Business Growth: A transparent, well-run audit program signals that a company is stable, secure, and built to scale. 

The bottom line is enhancing audit management isn’t just about avoiding risk—it’s about building a smarter, stronger, and more resilient business. 

Next Steps to Jumpstart Success 

If you’re interested in learning more about how ServiceNow Audit Management can benefit your business, watch our recent webinar, “Manage Risk Smarter, Not Harder: The ServiceNow IRM Advantage.”  In the webcast, Navisite subject matter expert Al Calabrese explores common audit management challenges, explains how ServiceNow Audit Management overcomes them, and provides a real-world customer success story. 

Ready to see how ServiceNow Audit Management can fit into your organization’s compliance strategy? We are here to help.  

Navisite, Part of Accenture, is a leading ServiceNow partner with deep experience in ServiceNow IRM and ServiceNow Audit Management. Our team of experts can help you transform audits into a proactive, automated process that saves time, reduces risk, ensures compliance, and drives business outcomes.  

It all starts with a complimentary strategy session, where our ServiceNow experts will assess your current audit challenges and provide a roadmap for improvement.  

Contact us today to schedule your session and take the first step toward seamless audit management and lasting business success.