Traveling auditor definition
/What is a Traveling Auditor?
A traveling auditor is a person who spends a disproportionate amount of time conducting audits in distant locations. The typical auditor works with audit clients that are located within driving distance of his or her home. A traveling auditor is engaged in audit work so far from home that overnight or more prolonged stays at hotels is necessary. A person classified as a traveling auditor is probably engaged in work for large audit clients that have many locations, which calls for extended travel to review the operations and accounting records at each one. Traveling auditors tend to be younger people who view extended travel as exciting.
Traveling Auditor Jobs
Most auditors who work for public accounting firms will be employed as traveling auditors. This is because the typical public accounting firm operates over an extended area, so its employees will be expected to travel significant distances to reach the locations of some clients. This is also the case for internal auditors who work for large companies that have many locations; in this case, travel may be even more extensive than is the case for an outside auditor, especially when the employer has numerous international locations.
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Advantages of Having a Traveling Auditor
There are several advantages to having one or more traveling auditors on staff. First, having an auditor on-site makes it much easier to examine processes and understand the reasons why they operate in the manner that they do. The auditor can also conduct physical audits of inventory and fixed assets, thereby confirming their existence. Another advantage is that any issues that the auditor uncovers can be clarified with the on-site staff at once, rather than by email or a phone call. In addition, the auditor can devise recommendations for improvements that are based on personal observations. Thus, there are good reasons to have a traveling auditor visiting client or subsidiary locations on a regular basis.