May 12, 2008

Weitzman Announces County’s First “Paperless Audit”

New system exchanges 65 lbs of paper for electronic data

The traditional image of an auditor swamped behind a stack of unruly papers and rummaging through copies of contracts, financials, policies and invoices is now the stuff of The History Channel. Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman announced today that his office has completed the County’s first ever “paperless audit” –a technology that captures data electronically, eliminates the need to compile cumbersome binders and reduces the waste of up to 65 lbs of paper per audit. The County’s new paperless system utilizes a software program called “Teammate” and was first used for an audit that focused on the County’s Purchasing Department’s time and leave system.

“Paperless audits represent not only a major step in efficiency for our auditors, but also for the environment, as this office now saves reams of paper on each audit,” Weitzman said. “The new paperless system also means easier storage and retrieval of information and reduced expense.”

Weitzman said that previously audits could often use over 60 lbs of paper, along with numerous binders and the information all needed to be stored in a warehouse with County records for years. The new auditing program produces almost no paper and stores all information electronically. Weitzman said that he is working on converting all audits to the paperless system by the end of the year.

Here Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman looks over the 65 lbs of paper used for a previous audit of the Hicksville Water District. A new auditing program will make audits paperless and store all information electronically.(right)