The purpose of an audit is to?

An audit serves as a systematic examination of processes and operations within an organization, with the primary purpose of ensuring compliance with internal policies, industry regulations, and legal requirements. This verification helps organizations identify areas where they are meeting or falling short of established standards. Furthermore, through this analysis, audits provide an opportunity for improvement in performance by revealing inefficiencies, potential risks, and opportunities for enhancing operational effectiveness.

By focusing on compliance and performance improvement, audits contribute to the overall health and effectiveness of the organization, ensuring that practices are aligned with goals and regulations, ultimately fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. While aspects like employee performance metrics, customer satisfaction, and market trends may be evaluated during different assessments or analyses, they do not encapsulate the primary aim of an audit as it specifically emphasizes compliance and performance enhancement.