How-To: Create Annual Plan

Prerequisites

• You must have the CAE or Manager role
• Audit Universe should be populated with entities and risk assessments

Step 1 — Navigate to Planning

Click Planning in the left sidebar.

Step 2 — Click "New Annual Plan"

Click the + New Annual Plan button.

Step 3 — Set Plan Details

Field	Required	Description
Plan Year	✅	The fiscal year (e.g., 2027)
Title	✅	Plan name (e.g., "FY2027 Internal Audit Plan")
Description	Recommended	Overview of the plan's objectives and scope
Owner	Auto	Defaults to current user (CAE)

Step 4 — Add Plan Items

Each plan item represents a planned audit engagement. Click + Add Item for each:

Field	Required	Description
Title	✅	Engagement name
Universe Item	✅	Link to Audit Universe entity
Type	✅	Compliance, Operational, Financial, IT, Special
Priority	Auto	Calculated from universe risk score
Planned Quarter	✅	Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4
Estimated Hours	Recommended	Budgeted hours for this engagement
Lead Auditor	Recommended	Primary assigned auditor

AI-Assisted Item Generation

Click AI Generate Plan Items to have the AI suggest plan items based on:

• Universe items with the highest risk scores
• Entities not audited in the last 12+ months
• Previous findings requiring follow-up
• Regulatory requirements mandating periodic review

Review each suggestion and accept or reject individually.

Step 5 — Allocate Resources

Navigate to the Resources tab within the plan:

1. View the Resource Calendar showing auditor availability
2. Drag-assign auditors to plan items
3. Monitor Capacity Utilization bars to prevent overcommitment
4. Adjust planned quarters if resources are constrained

Expected Result

The capacity utilization bar turns amber (>80%) or red (>100%) when an auditor is overallocated. Resolve overallocation before submitting for approval.

Step 6 — Submit for Approval

When the plan is complete:

1. Click Submit for Review
2. The plan moves to "Under Review" status
3. The CAE receives a notification to approve
4. CAE reviews the plan, risk analysis, and resource allocation
5. CAE approves → plan moves to "Approved" status

Step 7 — Execute the Plan

Once approved:

• Plan items can be converted to Engagements by clicking Create Engagement on each item
• Progress is tracked automatically as engagements move through their lifecycle
• The planning dashboard shows real-time completion percentage

Mid-Year Plan Revisions

Plans can be revised during the year:

1. Click Revise Plan on an approved plan
2. A new version is created (previous version is preserved)
3. Make changes to items, resources, or timeline
4. Re-submit for CAE approval
5. Version comparison shows exactly what changed

Best Practices

1. Start with risk data — populate the Audit Universe before planning
2. Use AI suggestions — AI identifies coverage gaps you might miss
3. Check capacity before approving — ensure no auditor exceeds 100% utilization
4. Build in buffer — plan for 80% capacity to accommodate ad-hoc requests
5. Review quarterly — reassess plan items based on emerging risks
6. Document rationale — record why certain items were prioritized or deferred

Related Documentation

• Resource Allocation → — detailed resource management
• Risk-Based Scoring → — understand the algorithm
• Audit Universe — data that drives the plan