Continuous auditing is a progressive shift in audit practices towards the
maximum possible degree of audit automation as a way of taking advantage of the
technological basis of the modern firm in order to reduce audit costs and increase
audit automation. Given the emphasis on the transformation of the entire system
of auditing, the development of CA requires a fundamental rethink of all aspects
of auditing, from the way in which data is made available to the auditor, to the
kinds of tests the auditor conducts, how alarms are dealt with, what kinds of
reports are issued, how often and to whom and many other issues, the importance
of some of which will only become apparent as CA is implemented. It is important
for the profession and other stakeholders to start thinking about the impact of CA
on auditing now, when it is easier to put in place the foundations for this change
rather than when technologies and practices have already become establish