PAWS operates in three distinct modes – universe, single entity and single audit:

• Universe mode – where you manage and interrogate your PAWS universe and to access various System Administration and Library Management modules.

• Entity mode – to perform detailed work with respect to a single entity.

• Audit mode - to perform detailed work with respect to a single audit.

Navigation through the system can be represented as:

The default mode when you start PAWS is 'Universe mode'. You are taken to the ‘Entities & Audits’ module, where you can see all entities and audits that are available to you.

From here you can navigate to other Universe modules by clicking on the spine items down the left-hand side, or 'launch' an entity or audit, so that you can work on it in isolation. As a visual clue to which mode you are currently in, the screens are colour coded.

• Setting up Entities & Audits
  

  The 'Entities & Audits' module helps users to manage their universe, to add entities and audits, to capture key information, update audit status and so on. Read more

• Prioritisation & Scheduling
  

  PAWS can optionally help you to prioritise and schedule your audits through a process of global risk assessment. Alternatively, you may create audits in an ad-hoc way, through the Entities & Audits module. The PAWS Audit Scheduling module can still help, by providing an overview of your audit schedule, while the optional Retain module can help you to keep track of resource schedules. Read more

• Risks & Controls Register
  

  PAWS includes a comprehensive and flexible Risks & Controls Register that helps users to comply with a variety of legislative frameworks, such as Sarbanes-Oxley, COSO and Turnbull. Read more

• Plan & Perform tests
  

  Within an audit, various modules (Audit Areas, Risks & Controls Register, Plan Test, Perform Tests) are available to help you plan and perform tests efficiently and conveniently. An Areas and Tests Library can also be maintained, to provide standard areas and tests for selection within each audit. Read more

• Manage Audit Progress
  

  The progress of audits within PAWS can be managed in a variety of ways, including: Audit status, Key dates and Man-days. Read more

• Audit Finalization & Reporting
  

  PAWS reporting functions help you to bring together recommendations, management responses and proposed/agreed actions, and to optionally generate your Audit Report. Perform multiple follow-ups against actions within each audit. Read more

• Reporting Features
  

  PAWS contains several standard report layouts. The reports also automatically pick up the current navigator, sort and filtering options as displayed on screen, thereby providing a great deal of flexibility over each report scope and content. Customised report formats are also available upon request. Read more

• Accessibility & Infrastructure
  

  One of the key considerations when choosing an automated Audit and Risk Management system is to ensure that your application data can be accessed by its users wherever they happen to be. The options that are available to you with PAWS include use over a LAN, WAN as well as local PCs. Read more