Skip to main content

Tutorial: Your First Audit in 15 Minutes

Learn AuditSwarm basics by creating your first audit from scratch.

What You'll Learn​

By the end of this tutorial, you'll know how to:

  • ✅ Create a new audit
  • ✅ Add findings and issues
  • ✅ Link external documents
  • ✅ Use AI assistance for recommendations
  • ✅ Generate compliance reports

Time: ~15 minutes Level: Beginner Prerequisites: AuditSwarm account (or local deployment running)

Step 1: Sign In​

  1. Navigate to your AuditSwarm instance (e.g., https://your-instance.auditswarm.com)
  2. Click Sign In
  3. Choose your authentication provider (Google, GitHub, etc.)
  4. You should see the dashboard

Expected Result: You're logged in and see the main dashboard.

Step 2: Create Your First Audit​

  1. Click Audits in the left sidebar
  2. Click the + New Audit button
  3. Fill in the form:
    • Title: "Q1 2025 SOC2 Compliance Review"
    • Description: "Quarterly review of SOC2 Type II controls"
    • Status: Select "Planning"
    • Start Date: Today's date
    • Due Date: 30 days from today
  4. Click Create Audit

Expected Result: You're redirected to the audit detail page.

Step 3: Add a Risk​

  1. On the audit detail page, scroll to the Related Risks section
  2. Click + Add Risk
  3. Fill in the form:
    • Title: "Unauthorized Access to Customer Data"
    • Description: "Risk of unauthorized users accessing production databases"
    • Severity: Select "High"
    • Status: Select "Identified"
  4. Click Save

Expected Result: The risk appears in the Related Risks list.

  1. Scroll to the Related Controls section
  2. Click + Add Control
  3. Fill in:
    • Title: "Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)"
    • Description: "MFA required for all production system access"
    • Type: Select "Preventive"
    • Effectiveness: Select "Effective"
  4. Click Save

Expected Result: The control is linked to your audit.

Step 5: Add an External Document​

  1. Scroll to the Documents section
  2. Click + Link Document
  3. Choose your platform:
    • OneDrive or Google Drive
  4. Paste a shareable link to a document (e.g., your company's security policy)
  5. Add metadata:
    • Name: "Security Policy v2.3"
    • Description: "Company-wide security policy"
  6. Click Link Document

Expected Result: The document appears in the Documents section with a link icon.

Step 6: Use AI Assistance (Optional)​

If you have ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, or Microsoft Copilot configured:

  1. Open your AI assistant

  2. Ask: "Review my current audit and suggest next steps"

  3. The AI will:

    • Fetch your audit context
    • Suggest additional risks or controls
    • Recommend evidence to collect

  4. Review the AI suggestions in the Suggestions panel (blue notification bar)

  5. Click Approve to accept, or Reject to dismiss

Expected Result: AI suggestions appear for your review before being applied.

Step 7: Generate a Report​

  1. Scroll to the top of the audit detail page
  2. Click Actions → Export Report
  3. Choose format:
    • PDF (for stakeholders)
    • Excel (for analysis)
  4. Click Generate

Expected Result: A report downloads with your audit details, risks, controls, and documents.

🎉 Congratulations!​

You've completed your first audit workflow in AuditSwarm. You now know how to:

  • Create audits
  • Add risks and controls
  • Link external documents
  • Use AI assistance
  • Generate reports

Next Steps​

Keep Learning:

Solve Specific Problems:

Understand the System: