Client Snapshot
A US-based global leader in Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS), providing enterprise API solutions through an IP-based communications network. Managing a complex, geographically distributed technology environment, the company engaged Pierag to lead an enterprise-wide IT SOX compliance initiative covering critical business applications, underlying IT systems, and supporting global infrastructure. The engagement focused on IT Application Controls (ITACs) and IT General Controls (ITGCs) across the enterprise technology landscape.
The Challenge
- Company’s distributed global operating model created complexity across entities, technology owners, and interconnected control dependencies.
- More than 60 IT systems supported financial reporting, making consistent risk assessment, control oversight, and evidence management challenging.
- Automated controls embedded within end-to-end business processes required detailed evaluation of system configurations and transaction flows.
- Evidence and inputs had to be coordinated across multiple stakeholders within compressed delivery and internal review timelines.
- Management needed to remediate control deficiencies while balancing external auditor requests, project costs, and reporting commitments.
Our Approach
- Established a structured engagement plan defining scope, responsibilities, milestones, reporting cadence, and stakeholder expectations.
- Conducted walkthroughs with IT process owners to document workflows, system dependencies, control ownership, and supporting process narratives.
- Examined more than 50 IT Application Controls across critical business processes, including Procure-to-Pay, Quote-to-Cash, Fixed Assets, Billing, and Revenue Recognition.
- Evaluated over 20 IT General Controls covering User Access Management, Change Management, and Computer Operations across in-scope systems.
- Centralized issue tracking, auditor queries, progress reporting, and remediation discussions to maintain transparency throughout the engagement.
Results Delivered
- Established a structured, evidence-backed basis for management’s conclusions regarding the effectiveness of its technology control environment.
- Delivered complete, review-ready workpapers that progressed through internal quality reviews with minimal rework.
- Identified control deficiencies early enough for management to prioritize corrective actions before engagement closure.
- Improved visibility into project progress, resource utilization, and budget performance to support timely management decisions.
- Streamlined coordination with external auditors through organized documentation and well-supported responses to inquiries.
Impact
Pierag brought structure, transparency, and control discipline to a complex, enterprise-wide IT SOX program. The engagement strengthened management’s visibility into technology risks, enhanced the evidence supporting compliance conclusions, and established a practical path for addressing control deficiencies. Improved coordination across internal stakeholders and external auditors also helped the company advance its compliance commitments within demanding timelines.
