Missing Information

This analytic test identifies fields that are empty or contain incomplete information, such as mandatory description fields.

This test can be used to identify:

  • Fictitious transactions

  • Transactions that have little or no explanation or description

  • Systemic issues in how a department processes transactions

  • Improperly configured system settings

  • Failure of the data validation process

  • Missing supporting documentation

  • Improper recognition of transactions in the correct accounting period

  • Weak internal controls

  • Weak monitoring and detecting activities

  • Poor training

  • A risk of material misstatement due to fraud

Fields used for analysis

This test uses one or more fields to identify the potentially missing or incomplete information. The type of fields that can be used are:

  • Numeric - used to search for zero values

  • Text - used to search for empty fields or fields where the number of characters is less than the length given

  • Date - used to search for missing date entries

  • Time - used to search for missing time entries

Parameters

There is one parameter that must be set in order to run the test:

Select fields - Select one or more fields to use to perform the analytic test. If you select a text field such as a description field, you can specify the maximum number of characters a field can have to be considered missing information. For example, if you enter 10, any fields that contain 10 characters or less will be identified as potentially missing information.

Test configurations

Note: The configurations available to you vary depending on the product you’re using.

The following configurations are available for this test:

  • Missing or little description - Identifies transactions with little or no description

  • Missing dates - Identifies transactions with no dates

  • Missing times - Identifies transactions with no time entries

  • Missing numerics - Identifies transactions with no numerics including amount, discount, quantity and due days fields

  • Missing ID / number - Identifies transactions with no identifiers such as the Entry ID and Document number fields

  • Missing user - Identifies transactions with no user information

  • Missing codes / types - Identifies transactions with missing codes

  • Missing fiscal year / period - Identifies transactions with missing fiscal year or period information

  • Missing currency - Identifies transactions with missing currency information

  • Missing contact information - Identifies transactions with missing contact information

  • Missing information - All fields - Identifies transactions with missing information in any field selected

  • Missing VAT numbers on purchase / sales invoices - Identifies missing VAT numbers on purchase or sale invoices

  • Missing IDs / Blank IDs - Identifies transaction with missing IDs

  • Supplier / Customer master file is missing data - Identifies blank fields in the Accounts Payable - Suppliers and Accounts Payable - Customers datasets

  • No credit limit defined - Identifies transactions with no defined credit limit

Technical specifications

When you run the Missing Information analytic test, the following steps are performed to run the test:

  1. Validate that the necessary reference fields have been selected. If fields have not been selected, then create a unique reference field. This step is only performed if specific fields have been selected. If all the fields are available, this step is not necessary.

  2. Validate that a numeric, text, date or time column(s) has been selected for the core analytic field(s).

  3. If the field is a text field, obtain the maximum number of characters a field can have to be considered missing information. The default is set to search for fields that are blank.

  4. For the different field types, perform the following:

    • Numeric - search for numeric values that are blank or equal to zero.

    • Text - search for blank fields or fields where the length of the field is equal to or less than the specified maximum number of characters.

    • Date - search for blank date entries.

    • Time - search for blank time entries.

  5. Extract the result fields selected by the user. All fields are extracted by default.

    Note: The ability to select result fields is not currently available and will be included in a later release.