Common Tools Overview

Overview 
Common tool functionalities are available to enhance the user's ability to document relevant information within an audit case. They add value by allowing the user to upload attachments, create cross-references, leave review notes or tickmarks and document findings as you work. The method for activating common tool functionality is consistent across different types of common tools. 

The following common tools are available in the MTO solution: 

Attachments common tool	Enables the upload of external files (such as Excel, PowerPoint, or Word files and templates).
Cross-references common tool	Facilitates creation of links within and between working papers.
Findings common tool	Facilitates documentation of standard findings, including addition, deletion, and editing of such findings within an audit case.
Review notes common tool	Facilitates communication of comments/feedback on audit documentation to team members.
Tickmarks common tool	Facilitates the addition, deletion, and editing of tickmarks to enhance audit documentation.

 
Key functions 

What functions can I use with this feature? 

• Accessing common tool functionality within a working paper 

• Open the details panel view 

• Navigate from the details panel to the location in the working paper where the common tool was attached 

• Edit, link/unlink, or delete a common tool 

 

User Flow 

The user can create, edit, link/un-link or delete common tools from within a working paper. 

The user can create a new common tool only in Edit mode. 

The user can view, edit, link/un-link or delete an existing common tool in either View-only or Edit mode. 

 

Accessing common tool functionality within a working paper 

A common tool can be activated on various components within a working paper. The method of calling on a common tool is largely consistent regardless of the component on which you need to attach a common tool. 

For text boxes: 
a.     Highlight the relevant text to which you want to attach a common tool. 
b.     Once highlighted, the common tool toolbar will appear. 

For radio buttons and check boxes: 
a.      Right-click the response/check box to which you want to attach a common tool. 
b.      Upon right-click, the common tool toolbar will appear. 

Cells within a table (or table components such as drop-downs): 
a.     Hover over the relevant cell within your table to which you want to attach a common tool 
b.     A wrench icon will appear 
c.     Click on the wrench and the common tool toolbar will appear 
NB: 
If your cursor is within the cell of a table, then the wrench icon will  not  appear when you hover on that cell 
To resolve this, exit the cell by clicking outside of the cell; then, hover over the cell. The wrench icon will then appear 

 

Review Notes Common Tool 

Overview 

Review notes are comments added to audit documentation and/or working papers. They are mainly used by reviewers to provide feedback/coaching to preparers so that their testing is sufficient and adequately documented to support the audit opinion provided. 

Key functions 

What functions can I use with this feature? 

• Create a review note 

• View a summary of all review notes 

• Navigate to a review note location 

• Clear or close a review note 

  

User Flow 

Create a review note (See Common Tool Overview for activating common tools within a working paper) 

• From within a working paper, activate the review notes common tool by clicking on the relevant icon on the common tool toolbar, in this case the speech bubble 
• Add the review note, select a priority level, and assign the task yourself or a team member if required, and click the Create button 

  

Review a summary of all review notes 

• Select the Summaries tab on the top navigation bar to see a list of all review notes 

 
Navigate to a specific review note location 

• From the summaries tab scroll over to the right and select the View Review Note icon for the review note you want to see 
• The system will take you to the working paper and position where the review note was created and open the details panel

 

Clear or close a Review Note 

• From the details panel click the dropdown menu that says  Open to change the status of the review note to Cleared or  Closed  

 

Tickmark Common Tool 

Overview 

Tickmarks are a means of documenting additional audit evidence in a working paper where there is no text box or cell to add commentary, and the documentation is generally brief. 

Key functions 

What functions can I use with this feature? 

• Create a new tickmark 

• Link an existing tickmark 

• Delete a tickmark 

 

User flow 

Creating a Tickmark (See Common Tool Overview for activating common tools within a working paper) 

• Open the desired working paper 

• Move to the section where you would like to include a Tickmark 

• Highlight text or right-click to open the common tools toolbar 

• Select the Tickmark icon represented by the pushpin 
• Select Create new tickmark 
• Enter commentary in the Description box 

• Click Create 

  

Link an existing Tickmark 

• Open the desired working paper 

• Move to the section where you would like to link a Tickmark 

• Highlight text or right-click to open the common tools toolbar 

• Select the Tickmark icon represented by the pushpin (See above) 

• Select Link existing tickmark 

• Choose the tickmark to be linked 

• Click the Link button 

  

Deleting a Tickmark 

• Navigate to the working paper where the tickmark you are interested in exists  

• Select the push pin icon on the right hand side of the screen for the tickmark to open the details panel 

• Open the more content dropdown represented by "..." 

• Select Delete 

 

Cross Reference Common Tool 

Overview 

Cross-references are used to create links within and between working papers. Cross-references facilitate easy navigation between related pieces of information in the engagement file. 

 

Key functions 

What functions can I use with this feature? 

• Initiate the cross-reference at the source 

• Finalize the cross-reference at the target 

• Navigate between the target and source cross-reference 

• Delete a cross-reference 

 

User Flow 

Initiate the cross-reference at the source (See Common Tool Overview for activating common tools within a working paper) 

• From within a working paper, activate the cross-reference common tool by clicking on the relevant icon on the common tool toolbar, in this case the double arrows. 
• Select Initiate cross reference to mark the Source content 
• Click Create to mark the source content for the cross reference   

Finalize the cross-reference at the target 

• Navigate to the target working paper 

• Activate the cross-reference common tool by clicking on the relevant icon on the common tool toolbar 

• Select Finalize cross reference to mark the target content 

• Tie it to the appropriate source content by selecting the appropriate cross reference 

• Click Create to mark the target content for the cross reference   
• A cross reference icon will appear below the content on both the source and target references within the working paper(s) 

 

Delete a cross reference: 

• Open the list view in the right side panel by clicking on the cross reference icon on the common tool access bar 

• Open the more features menu represented by the "..." 

• Select Delete 

 

Attachment Common Tool 

Overview 

The attachment common tool allows a user to attach a file to specific places across the engagement to provide a more comprehensive answer than the text responses or question responses alone. 
If for some reason a manual document will be retained instead of an electronic copy, the tool also allows the user to document the details. 
 

Key functions 
What functions can I use with this feature? 

• Attach a document by drag & drop or browse 

• Attach a reference to a manual working paper 

• Download or replace an attachment 

NB: A large array of document types may be attached to working papers. They include the most common file formats, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Power BI as well as PDF, and JPEG among others. 

 

User Flow 

Attach a document by Browse or Drag & Drop (See Common Tool Overview for activating common tools within a working paper) 

• From within a working paper, activate the attachment common tool by clicking on the relevant icon on the common tool toolbar, in this case the paper clip 
• Add a title and drag & drop or browse to select the attachment file and click the Attach button 
• An attachment icon will appear under the content where the attachment was added to the working paper 

Attach a reference to a manual working paper 

• From within a working paper, activate the attachment common tool by clicking on the relevant icon on the common tool toolbar, in this case the paper clip 

• Add a title and description and select the Paper Document option to indicate there is an off-line document available and click the Attach button 

• A paperclip icon will appear in the working paper where the reference to your off-line document was made   

  

Download or replace an attachment 

• From within a working paper, activate the attachment common tool by clicking on the relevant icon on the common tool toolbar, in this case the paper clip 

• Click on the attachment name of the file you wish to download or replace 

• Click the Replace file or Download attachment button