During a review of a customer master file, an IS auditor discovered numerous customer name duplications arising from variations in customer first names. To determine the extent of the duplication, the IS auditor would use:

During a review of a customer master file, an IS auditor discovered numerous customer name duplications arising from variations in customer first names. To determine the extent of the duplication, the IS auditor would use:
A . test data to validate data input.
B . test data to determine system sort capabilities.
C . generalized audit software to search for address field duplications.
D . generalized audit software to search for account field duplications.

View Answer

Answer: C

Explanation:

Since the name is not the same {due to name variations), one method to detect duplications would be to compare other common fields, such as addresses. A subsequent review to determine common customer names at these addresses could then be conducted. Searching for duplicate account numbers would not likely find duplications, since customers would most likely have different account numbers for each variation. Test data would not be useful to detect the extent of any data characteristic, but simply to determine how the data were processed.