Class 8

Audit Analytics 1

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Class Overview

Why is this important?

Gaining practical experience with tools like Helix Analyzer for students prepares students for real-world audit environments. Although the software varies from firm-to-firm, the approach to analyzing general ledger data and identifying appropriate audit evidence is a crucial skill that students can develop in this case.

What will we do?

An applied session with hands-on experience with a specially made student version of EY's Helix audit analytics software. This class provides a practical learning environment to undertake a revenue audit using a tool that mimics real-world audit software. Students ill undertake several types of analytics using real-world transactions and propose audit findings to test various assertions. This is a simulation of a real-world audit.

How this relates to other classes:

In the prior classes, we have examined various ways of using data to answer important questions. We have examined company-level data which is publicly available, and internal transaction data for a P-card. In this class we extend our data analytics to general ledger data.

Materials and Preparation

Class Materials
  • Case: Analytics_mindset_case_studies_PSU_Hotel_background
  • Case: Analytics_mindset_case_studies_PSU_Hotel_understanding_audit_analytics
  • Case: Analytics_mindset_case_studies_PSU_Hotel_Revenue
  • Slides: PowerPoint or PDF
  • Data:
  • Analytics Tools: Helix Analyzer for Students (in Tableau), Git and GitHub
  • Suggested in-class seating: assessment teams
  • Suggested Pre-Class Preparation
    1. The cases need to be read in advance to prepare for this class. The first case, "Analytics mindset: Peach State University Hotel: Background" provides important background. The document is 25 pages long and will serve both as an introduction to the client and as a reference for undertaking the audit in class. Please allow enough time to read this in advance and have the case available as a reference in class.
    2. The second case, "Analytics mindset: Peach State University Hotel: Understanding audit analytics" is an 8 page case that largely focuses on the use of the Helix Analyzer tool for students. Please read through this before class.
    3. The third case, "Analytics mindset: Peach State University Hotel: Revenue" is the case we will undertake in this class. Please read the case in advance and have it available as a reference.
  • Class Plan
    1. Please note that this is the first of a two class sequence.
    2. After a brief review, Teams will be assigned to lead part of the overview of Helix and the Revenue Case.
    3. The data for this class in the dataset.io folder, the file is "Analytics_mindset_case_studies_PSU_Hotel.twbx" in the ACCTG521/Helix folder. It is a tableau workbook and should be located in the Helix folder on your U drive. If it isn't please use git pull on your datasets.io folder using cmd.
    4. Please ensure that you are sitting in your assessment groups, both the discussion and the findings in this double class relate to the ACCTG 521 team project: the Client Interview.
    5. The class will largely be done in assessment teams with the goal of completing a revenue audit of Peach State University Hotels using the Helix Analyzer for Students tool.