Audit module

The following sections provide information about the mechanisms functioning in the audit module of the Action Audit application.

Drawing audit areas

The topic of drawing audit areas applies only to the auditor group schedule, because a regular schedule is, by definition, assigned to only one audit area.

During the first drawing of audit areas (i.e., when no audits have yet been performed in a given schedule), the system draws areas in a way that ensures each audit area is assigned evenly. This means that once an area is selected, it is excluded from subsequent drawings until each of the remaining areas has also been assigned an audit.

The drawing rule is the same as in drawing auditors. The algorithm’s operation is illustrated in the example below:

Let’s assume that the auditor group schedule includes the following areas: A, B, C, and D.

• Step 1:
  Available areas: A, B, C, D → for example, C is drawn.
  In subsequent drawings, C is temporarily excluded.
• Step 2:
  Available areas: A, B, D → for example, B is drawn.
  B and C are now excluded.
• Step 3:
  Available areas: A, D → for example, A is drawn.
• Step 4:
  Only D remains → it is automatically assigned.

A random sequence of areas C, B, A, and D is established (in the order of the first draw), which is then used in subsequent assignments. From that point, the assignment is no longer random, as it always follows the initially determined sequence (until any initial parameters change, e.g., adding another audit area to the auditor group). This avoids the risk of one audit area being audited more frequently than others.

Rules for assigning auditors

In the Action Audit system, there are two ways to set up an audit schedule, which also defines who will be the auditor for a given activity. One is the regular schedule, and the other is the auditor group schedule. In both cases, the rules for assigning auditors are the same.

Each time the scheduled audit date arrives, the system assigns one person to perform the audit. The selection is made according to the options set in the schedule. The person configuring the schedule has four strategies to choose from when assigning the auditor:

• Random – the auditor is randomly selected from the auditor group assigned to the given audit area
• Random except area leader – same as above, but the user assigned as the area leader is excluded from the draw
• Area leader – the auditor will always be the person assigned in the audit area settings as its Leader
• Designated person – a specific person from the auditor group assigned to the audit area is manually designated to always perform the audit

Drawing auditors

The draw rule is very similar to the one used in drawing audit areas. When one of the two randomization options is selected, the following rules apply:

During the first random assignment of auditors (i.e. when no audit has yet been conducted in a given audit area), the system assigns an auditor in such a way that each auditor is evenly distributed with work. This means that once an auditor is selected, they will be temporarily excluded from future selections until all other auditors have also been assigned.

The algorithm’s operation is illustrated in the example below:

Assume the auditor group includes: A, B, C, and D.

• Step 1:
  Available auditors: A, B, C, D → for example, B is selected.
  In the next selections, B is temporarily excluded.
• Step 2:
  Available auditors: A, C, D → for example, C is selected.
  B and C are now excluded.
• Step 3:
  Available auditors: A, D → for example, A is selected.
• Step 4:
  Only D remains → D is automatically assigned.

A random sequence of auditors B, C, A, and D (based on the initial draw) is then established and reused in future assignments. From that point forward, the selection is no longer random, as it follows the previously determined sequence (until any change in the initial conditions occurs, e.g. adding a new auditor to the auditor group). This prevents the risk of a single audit area being repeatedly audited by the same person.

Absences

Audit triggering and non-working days

In the Action Audit system, audit areas can be scheduled in three different ways:

1. Daily frequency:

On all days of the week:

With this frequency, audits are triggered from Monday to Sunday, including days marked in the organization calendar as non-working days.

Only on working days:

With this frequency, audits are only triggered from Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and days marked in the organization calendar as non-working days.

2. Every X weeks – with a specific weekday

With this frequency, audits are triggered on a specified weekday (only Monday to Friday can be selected). If the specified day is a non-working day, the audit will be assigned on the next working day. If the entire week consists of non-working days, the audit for that week is skipped.

3. Every Y months – with a specific day of the month

With this frequency, audits are triggered on the day of the month specified by the user. If that day is a non-working day (e.g., weekend), the audit will be triggered on the next working day. If the entire month consists of non-working days, the audit for that month is skipped.

Organization calendar

Additionally, the system provides an organization calendar, where, apart from weekends and official public holidays (depending on the country setting of the organization), it is also possible to mark days when the company is not operating for external reasons, such as production stoppages or technical downtime.

Rules for calculating audit score

Each audit is assigned a percentage score indicating whether it meets defined compliance requirements. This score is calculated using a grading scale, which is assigned to the given audit by linking the appropriate checklist. Below are the percentage results for predefined grading scales:

Grading scales

• Binary scale:
  • YES – 100%
  • NO – 0%
• Quarter scale:
  • 0 – 0%
  • 1/4 – 25%
  • 2/4 – 50%
  • 3/4 – 75%
  • 4/4 – 100%
• ISO scale:
  • Minor nonconformity – 0%
  • Major nonconformity – 0%
• VDA 6.3 scale:
  • 0 – 0%
  • 4 – 40%
  • 6 – 60%
  • 8 – 80%
  • 10 – 100%

Recommendation

An answer marked as Recommendation triggers a follow-up activity but does not lower the audit score, as it translates to 100% compliance.

Changing question weight

Each question can be assigned a specific weight, e.g. weight of two, three, etc. This means a negative or positive answer to a weighted question has more impact on the audit result, making it more significant.
The formula for calculating the audit percentage score also considers weights:

This is the formula for calculating the weighted average of all answers. In the most standard case where all weights are 1, the formula simplifies to:

Excluding questions from the audit

Selecting the answer N/A (short for Not Applicable) excludes the question from all calculations, meaning it will not be considered in either the sum of all answer scores or the total number of questions. Therefore, during the audit it is not possible to mark an answer as N/A, because it would make calculating the result impossible. Instead, the audit should be marked as not performed.

Second score in VDA 6.3

In a VDA 6.3 audit, in addition to the percentage compliance score, there is a second result called Qualification. It is expressed as grades A, B, and C. These grades are downgraded from A to B or B to C if a key question indicates nonconformity. In the Action Audit application, key questions are marked with the character sequence ”[[*]]”.