Weaver needed a more efficient audit process that would provide better quality audits to meet new AICPA guidelines. Weaver saw a 10 percent efficiency improvement and received higher quality audits with Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated Audit Approach, which includes CCH® ProSystem fx® Engagement, CCH® ProSystem fx® Knowledge Coach and CCH® Accounting Research Manager®.

1. Tax & Accounting US
Weaver Delivers More
Effective, More Efficient
Audits with Wolters Kluwer’s
Integrated Audit Approach
Case Study:
Integrated
Audit
Approach
When you have to be right

2. Weaver Delivers More Effective, More Efficient Audits with Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated Audit Approach2
Challenge: Weaver wanted a more efficient and effective audit process that
would also allow them to better serve their clients and manage the firm’s risk.
Solution: The firm implemented Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated Audit Approach,
including CCH®
ProSystem fx®
Engagement, CCH®
ProSystem fx®
Knowledge
Coach and CCH®
Accounting Research Manager®
. Weaver improved its audit
process, resulting in a 10 percent efficiency improvement.
Based in Texas with offices in Dallas, Forth
Worth, Houston, Conroe, Midland, Austin and
San Antonio, Weaver also has offices in Los
Angeles, California and Stamford, Connecticut.
It is the largest independent accounting firm in
the Southwest, ranked among the top 40 firms
in the country, and has nearly 600 employees —
200 of which are in the audit
department.
Twelve years ago, Weaver
switched to CCH ProSystem fx
Engagement. Leadership of
Weaver knew that the software
would bring the firm’s audit
workflow into the digital realm
and save time through several
means, such as providing a
central repository for tracking,
reporting, review and sign-off of
their audit and tax engagements.
CCH ProSystem fx Knowledge
Coach, Wolters Kluwer’s audit
workflow application, and CCH
Accounting Research Manager
caught the attention of David
Rook, Chief Operating Officer
of Assurance and Advisory in
2011. The firm began considering
how to move its entire audit
process to Wolters Kluwer’s
Integrated Audit Approach. Why?
Because the firm wanted to take
advantage of a fully integrated
end-to-end audit solution
that provides higher quality
audits through dynamic linking
of procedures to risks while
also leveraging their auditors’
expertise for a growth strategy
that better serves their clients.
“We were interested in the
integrated approach of the
audit software actually
being embedded within CCH
ProSystem fx Engagement
because it makes the process
incredibly efficient. I like how
the product links between the
risk assessment and audit
programs and also updates
changes throughout all
affected workpapers. From a
firm leadership perspective,
I felt confident that we could
produce more efficient and
effective audits than before.”
— David Rook,
Chief Operating Officer of Assurance
and Advisory, Weaver
Laura Lambert, Partner of Assurance Services,
agreed and added that since the majority
of their industries were included in Wolters
Kluwer’s research titles, they were ready to
implement.
Laura Lambert
Partner of Assurance Services
Weaver
Houston, Texas
David Rook
Chief Operating Officer of
Assurance and Advisory
Weaver
Houston, Texas

3. Choosing to Be Part of Baker Tilly International
Weaver is an independent member of the Baker Tilly
International network, which provides resources across
North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe,
the Middle East and Africa. Through its independent
membership, Weaver is able to provide assurance, tax
and advisory services to its clients by working with locally
based professionals who understand the local regulations
and professional accounting standards.
Weaver Delivers More Effective, More Efficient Audits with Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated Audit Approach 3
The Integrated Audit Approach
Migrating to new software meant Weaver’s
entire audit team would move to Wolters
Kluwer’s Knowledge-Based Audit (KBA)
Methodology, which was developed to meet
AICPA’s risk-based audit standards. CCH
ProSystem fx Knowledge Coach takes that
methodology and brings it to life in a way that
helps auditors plan and execute audits so
compliance risk is minimized and efficiency
is improved. Instead of following predefined
checklists, CCH ProSystem fx Knowledge Coach
guides auditors through the audit process
drawing connections between steps and
risks. Dynamic, real-time, iterative processes
and tools encourage auditor judgment and
continual learning, which results in higher
quality and minimal over-auditing.
“This new audit process is
more efficient than what
we were using before. Now
we’re building the list, not
merely doing a list. Also,
when a risk area is identified,
CCH ProSystem fx Knowledge
Coach alerts the auditor if
the procedure is not properly
linked to the risk. That helps
us ensure we stay focused
on the right areas and do an
adequate amount of work.”
— Rook
“And, with CCH Accounting
Research Manager as a key
part of this integrated set of
solutions, researching and
linking source documents is
easier than ever.”
— Laura Lambert,
Partner of Assurance Services, Weaver

4. Weaver Delivers More Effective, More Efficient Audits with Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated Audit Approach4
Time Savings
In year one, while the firm was implementing
and learning the software, audits took longer
than they had previously. However, in year two
the firm is experiencing a 10 to 15 percent time
savings, which is already better than what the
firm saw with their previous solution. Rook
fully expects in year three the time savings
will increase to 20 percent.
Providing a Better Audit
Also important, Rook and Lambert both
agree that Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated
Audit Approach really does deliver a more
effective audit.
“Our audits are more clearly
documented. We cover
everything necessary, but
nothing more. It’s a more
comprehensive audit than
we were able to provide in
the past. And in doing a
more effective audit, we’re
protecting the firm. Most
important we understand
our clients better.”
— Lambert
Steps for a Smooth Software Rollout
The firm’s implementation approach was to
phase-in the new audit process based on
industry groups. The first selected was their
Investment Company industry group. Rook
and Lambert chose champions on that team
to help develop their audit template ahead of
time. The champions, along with Lambert and
Rook, then spent two to three days coming up
with commonalities in the industry to build the
investment company audit template before
migrating the data.
Next up was the Service Organization
Controls (SOC) practice group, followed by
the Employee Benefit Plan group, Government
and Nonprofit, and finally the Commercial
Industry group which includes manufacturing
and distribution, oil and gas, and construction
companies. Their entire rollout took
approximately one year, and, with each
rollout, the matching KBA titles and lessons
learned along the way were incorporated.
“We wanted to take what
we saw as the best audit
products and approach
available on the market,
and then use that Integrated
Audit Approach to drive
efficiencies. I think we’ve
achieved that.”
— Rook

5. Tips for Implementing New Audit Software
Lambert and Rook learned a lot through their software migration, and offer the following tips to
colleagues considering and undertaking a similar move.
1. Know that it will take time to do the
pre-work.
“Really acknowledge the time that the pre-work
requires ahead of the rollouts. Everything you
do up front pays off tremendously on the back
end.” — Lambert
2. Consider rolling out by industry team.
“This is really important to avoid taking on
too much at once. Learn as much as possible
from each industry rollout about the best
implementation process, and incorporate those
lessons learned with the next industry rollout.”
— Rook
3. Create the industry binder templates ahead
of time.
“Some leaders spent more time on the
templates than others, which paid back
enormously for those industry groups. You’re
going to appreciate all the time you spent
on making really good binder templates.”
— Lambert
4. Take the training seriously and ensure that all
levels participate.
“We had some industry groups with partners
that didn’t attend the training, and the
migration didn’t go nearly as smoothly for
them. It’s important that leadership attend
and that they require the staff to make
the most of every training session.” — Rook
5. Update the binders annually and continue to
improve on your use of the solutions.
“We do annual audit level training for the
first four years of your career with our firm,
and we use Wolters Kluwer for that training.
Additionally, the industry group leaders update
our Knowledge Coach templates on an annual
basis to keep them current and constantly
improved. Executing interim test work and
training is important to make sure you stay
ahead of the curve.” — Rook
Weaver Delivers More Effective, More Efficient Audits with Wolters Kluwer’s Integrated Audit Approach 5
Weaver’s National and Local Rankings based on 2015 data
#3 Largest Tarrant County Accounting Firms by Fort Worth Business Press
#5 Largest San Antonio Accounting Firms by San Antonio Business Journal
#6 Largest Accounting Firms in Texas by Houston Business Journal
#9 Largest North Texas Accounting Firms by Dallas Business Journal
#10 Largest Houston-Area Public Accounting Firms by Houston Business Journal
#13 Largest Austin Accounting Firms by Austin Business Journal
#38 Top 50 Firms by INSIDE Public Accounting
#39 Top 100 Firms by Accounting Today
BEST of the BEST Firms to Watch by INSIDE Public Accounting

6. When you have to be right
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Contact information:
Wolters Kluwer
2700 Lake Cook Road
Riverwoods, IL 60015
United States
800-739-9998
Please visit CCHGroup.com/QualityAudit
for more information.
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