What is CSA?

CSA is the review of business objectives and internal controls in a formal and documented collaborative process. It includes testing the design of automated application controls.

Control self-assessment (CSA) is predicated on the review of high-risk areas that either need immediate attention or may require a more thorough review later.

What is the objective

The objective of control self-assessment (CSA) is to have business management become more aware of the importance of internal control and their responsibility in terms of corporate governance.

Which Benefit do you get?

  1. A primary benefit derived for an organization employing control self-assessment techniques is that it can identify high-risk areas that might need a detailed review later is correct.
  2. Another benefit of conducting a control self-assessment over a traditional audit it detects risk sooner is correct. Control self-assessments (CSAs) require employees to assess the control stature of their own function. CSAs help to increase the understanding of business risk and internal controls. Because they are conducted more frequently than audits, CSAs help to identify risk in a timelier manner.
  3. Broad stakeholder involvement is an attribute of the control self-assessment approach.

How do you use CSA?

The control self-assessment (CSA) approach emphasizes management of and accountability for developing and monitoring the controls of an organization’s business processes. The attributes of CSA include empowered employees, continuous improvement, extensive employee participation and training—all of which are representations of broad stakeholder involvement.

CSA is not a replacement for traditional audits. CSA is not intended to replace audit’s responsibilities, but to enhance them.