--- sourceDocument: Brazil Governance, Risk, and Compliance sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/governance-risk-compliance Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil Governance, Risk, and Compliance ft:clusterId : - grc bundleId : - grc workflow : - Technology --- # Manage engagements # Manage engagements {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Manage engagements The audit engagement process in ServiceNow Brazil release involves creating, planning, scoping, conducting, and reporting on audit engagements. It helps audit managers and auditors systematically manage audit activities, assess risks and controls, and document findings to ensure compliance with regulations and internal policies. Show full answer Show less The process covers defining the audit scope, validating engagement details, performing fieldwork, seeking approval, following up on open issues, and closing the engagement. ## Engagement Process States * **Scope:** Audit managers define involved entities (e.g., business services, departments) to establish the engagement scope. * **Validate:** Risks, controls, and test plans related to scoped entities are associated with the engagement. Managers review and update scope and begin planning audit tasks. * **Fieldwork:** Auditors execute assigned tasks such as control testing, interviews, and walkthroughs. Issues discovered are linked to the engagement. Managers finalize engagement results and opinions. * **Awaiting Approval:** Designated approvers review audit task results and issues, then approve or reject the engagement. * **Follow Up:** If open tasks, issues, or milestones remain post-approval, auditors close them out before marking the engagement complete. * **Closed:** Engagements move to closed state when incomplete during early stages or when all tasks and issues are resolved post-approval and follow-up. ## Key Features and Management Capabilities * **Documents Panel:** Starting with release 23.x.x, engagements include a Documents panel to add, version, and manage permissions on documents while the engagement is active. * **Audit Task Management:** Tasks provide evidence of compliance and include creating control tests, activities, interviews, and walkthroughs linked to controls. * **Create Engagements:** Managers can create new engagements or duplicate from previous ones to save time on scope and participant setup. * **Generate Reports and KB Articles:** Audit reports can be created and versioned during follow-up. Knowledge Base articles can summarize findings for executive communication. * **Approvals:** Assigned approvers can approve or reject engagements during the Awaiting Approval state. * **Entity Scope Management:** Adding entities to the engagement scope automatically associates relevant risks, controls, test plans, and indicator results. * **Engagement Workbench:** Provides a timeline view for selecting, viewing, or creating audit engagements efficiently. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers This structured audit engagement process enables customers to: * Systematically manage audits from planning through closure. * Maintain clear visibility and control over audit scope, tasks, and findings. * Ensure timely follow-up and closure of audit issues. * Generate comprehensive reports and knowledge articles to communicate audit results effectively. * Leverage document management within engagements to keep all evidence and documentation organized. * Reuse previous engagement configurations to improve efficiency. By using these capabilities, ServiceNow customers can enhance audit quality, compliance tracking, and reporting transparency within their organizations. The audit engagement process involves creating, planning, scoping, and conducting engagements as well as reporting on engagement findings. ## Engagement process The base system audit engagement process includes steps for scoping, validating, conducting, and approving engagement results. It also contains steps for following up on open audit tasks and issues, and finally closing out the audit engagement. {#c_Engagements__table_pzj_vyr_pw__entry__2} | State | Description | |-|-| | Scope | During the Scope state, audit managers define which entities are involved in the audit engagement. For example, for a financial audit, one may include all business services that the finance department relies on and the finance department itself. See [Add entities to an engagement scope](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ZbxivBRW26n1FocQHWG4RQ "Audit managers can define which entities are involved in the audit engagement. When you add an entity to an engagement, the corresponding risks, controls, test plans, and indicator results of the entity are also added to the engagement."). | | Validate | After an engagement has moved to the Validate state, all the risks, controls, and test plans associated with the entities in the engagement's scope are associated with the audit. Indicator results collected during the audit period are also associated with the audit. Audit managers can review the risks, controls, test plans, and indicator results, and update the scope of the engagement, if necessary. Audit managers can also begin creating and planning audit tasks for the engagement. To move an engagement into the Validate state, click Validate on any engagement currently in the Scope state. | | Fieldwork | Auditors complete their assigned audit tasks during the Fieldwork state. These tasks include control testing, interviews, walkthroughs, and other activities. Issues that are found during control testing are associated with the engagement. Auditors can also create general issues associated with the engagement. Audit managers can create additional audit tasks as needed. When the audit is done, audit managers specify the result of the engagement, whether it's satisfactory, adequate or inadequate, and provide details on their opinion. To move an engagement into the Fieldwork state, click Advance to Fieldwork on any engagement currently in the Validate state. See [Audit task management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9AWdSp2dNpDOW4LW580tJQ "Audit tasks are completed throughout an engagement and provide documented evidence that the organization is complying with external regulations and internal policies."). | | Awaiting Approval | During the "Awaiting Approval" state, the approvers specified in the Approvers field of the engagement review the results of the audit tasks conducted and the issues that were created. After reviewing the results of the engagements, approvers approve or reject the engagement. To move an engagement into the Awaiting Approval state, click Request approval on any engagement currently in the Fieldwork state. See [Approve or reject an engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/fBA_UbXYWaQNaqNnR2rw4Q "Audit users that are assigned as approvers for an engagement can approve or reject engagements in the Awaiting Approval state."). | | Follow Up | After an engagement is approved, it automatically goes into the Follow Up state if there are remaining open tasks, issues, or milestones (in case of GRC Advanced Audit). During this stage, auditors must close out all remaining issues, tasks, and milestones. The engagement is then marked as complete. | | Closed | Engagements move into the "Closed" state under one of three conditions: * The engagement is closed as incomplete during the Scope, Validate, or Fieldwork states. * There are no open audit tasks, issues, and milestones after the engagement is approved. In this case, the engagement automatically moves from the Awaiting Approval state to the Closed state. * All follow-up tasks, issues, and milestones are closed out. In this case, the engagement automatically moves from the Follow Up state to the Closed state. {#c_Engagements__ul_dnn_kfs_pw} | [Table 1. States of the engagement process] {#c_Engagements__table_pzj_vyr_pw} ## Documents panel {#c_Engagements__section_engagement-documents-panel} Beginning with 23.x.x release, engagements have a Documents panel in addition to the Attachments panel. You can add, version, and manage permissions on documents while the engagement is not in a Closed state. For more information, see [Using Document Management System in Audit Workspace](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jZCsHcYod4wavrEmPGyN2w "The Document Management System in Audit Workspace provides a centralized repository for storing and managing documents in engagements, control tests, and evidence records. The Documents panel is a native side pane that allows you to store, version, and control access to documents."). * **[Audit task management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9AWdSp2dNpDOW4LW580tJQ)** Audit tasks are completed throughout an engagement and provide documented evidence that the organization is complying with external regulations and internal policies. * **[Create an engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/5L88Vdl50zek7s_24roVmQ)** Audit managers create engagements to manage audit information and collect entities, controls, and control tests that are relevant to the audit. * **[Generate an audit report from an engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/t2UzE4cKLhKyyxA8HXcNhg)** Generate an audit report and maintain different versions of audit reports from an engagement in Follow up state. * **[Create an engagement from a previous engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/uF6DsWcxd4KWz06rjO55KQ)** Audit managers can create engagements from previous engagements to reduce the need to redefine the scope, auditors, and approvers for similar engagements that are conducted throughout the year. * **[Create a control test from an engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/xjixbgFH~zYGhc34ZcFXjw)** After defining a control, audit managers create control tests that run periodically and provide documented evidence of whether the associated control is operating correctly. After creating multiple control tests on an engagement, use the Control tests grid to view, manage, and request evidence for all tests in one place. * **[Create an audit task activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/u7cGp158wrZFv~YLexOgaQ)** After defining a control, audit managers create activities that explore and provide documented evidence of whether the associated control is operating correctly. * **[Create an interview](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/IxY018__p1C4hyK03ip~yw)** After defining a control, audit managers create interviews with control owners to discuss and provide documented evidence of whether the associated control is operating correctly. * **[Create a walkthrough](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/CF3dYQ~0Sd7uf7R27buBIg)** After defining a control, audit managers create walkthroughs that will be conducted to observe and provide documented evidence of whether the associated control is operating correctly. * **[Generate a KB article from an engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Xbqx_ml3F1Ks~3RVNG0ccw)** Audit managers can generate a KB article that summarizes the findings of an engagement so report findings can be communicated to executives. * **[Approve or reject an engagement](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/fBA_UbXYWaQNaqNnR2rw4Q)** Audit users that are assigned as approvers for an engagement can approve or reject engagements in the Awaiting Approval state. * **[Add entities to an engagement scope](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ZbxivBRW26n1FocQHWG4RQ)** Audit managers can define which entities are involved in the audit engagement. When you add an entity to an engagement, the corresponding risks, controls, test plans, and indicator results of the entity are also added to the engagement. * **[Manage Audit Engagements](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vY9sUvB8YgqFE3xUqbjeyg)** The Engagement Workbench provides a timeline view from which you can select an audit engagement to view details or create an engagement.