ABSTRACT
Criteria, Condition, Cause, Effect, and Recommendation (CCCER) and 5C are the acronyms used to document the main components of internal audit findings and observations. By replacing Effect with Consequence, and Recommendation with Corrective Action, the CCCER becomes 5C: Criteria, Condition, Cause, Consequence, and Corrective Action. Quantifying the Condition and the Effect is a good practice because it provides more precision to the magnitude and characteristics of the observation. The CCCER/5C Model is widely used by internal auditors to document internal audit findings. It consists of Criteria, Condition, Cause, Effect, and Recommendations. Robust audit evidence collection and evaluation, adding a rating or risk element, adding as many quantitative elements as possible, and working with process owners to develop recommendation/corrective actions help to make the CCCER/5C Model more effective. Under Cause, internal auditors are highly encouraged to research the root cause of problems and avoid listing symptoms.
