# Process Audit Checklist

Provided by Saker Axis. Use it to walk through one workflow from start to finish.

Pick one process (for example, client intake, invoicing, or hiring) and follow a real, recent example through every step. Answer each question honestly. The goal is to see the work as it actually happens.

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## 1. Define the process

- [ ] What is the name of this process?
- [ ] What triggers it?
- [ ] What is the final output or outcome?
- [ ] Who is the client of this process (internal or external)?
- [ ] Who owns the process overall?

## 2. Map the steps

- [ ] List every step in order, as it happens today.
- [ ] Note who performs each step.
- [ ] Note which tool, file, or system is used at each step.
- [ ] Mark every handoff between people or teams.

## 3. Find where work waits

- [ ] Where does work sit idle waiting for someone?
- [ ] Which steps need an approval? Is each approval necessary?
- [ ] Which steps depend on one specific person?
- [ ] What happens when that person is out?

## 4. Find where work repeats

- [ ] Is any information entered more than once?
- [ ] Are any steps redone because of errors?
- [ ] Do people chase others for status updates?
- [ ] Are there steps nobody can explain the reason for?

## 5. Check documentation

- [ ] Is this process written down anywhere?
- [ ] Is the documentation current?
- [ ] Could a new team member follow it without help?
- [ ] Are there templates or checklists for the key steps?

## 6. Check tools

- [ ] Which tools are used, and are they used fully?
- [ ] Where do people work outside the official tools (spreadsheets, texts, notes)?
- [ ] Do the tools share information, or is it copied between them?

## 7. Check measures

- [ ] How long does the process take from trigger to outcome?
- [ ] How often does something go wrong?
- [ ] How would you know if it got better or worse?

## 8. Prioritize

For each issue you found, rate:

| Issue | Impact (high, medium, low) | Effort to fix (high, medium, low) | Owner |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |

Start with high-impact, low-effort fixes. Those are your quick wins.

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