Purpose

An important issue in online auditing is how to improve the reliability of online auditing in order to reduce the overall audit risk. In this paper, a reliability assessment and early-warning method of online auditing based on RC (rank centroid), AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and GM (1,1) is proposed from the perspective of information technology (IT) audit risk control.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper begins by structuring the AHP hierarchy to the reliability assessment of online auditing used in China. Then, RC is used to rank the importance of the assessment criteria. Pairwise comparisons of criteria are made based on the rank results of RC, and this leads to a matrix of comparisons. Next, the comparison matrices are translated into weights, and the reliability assessment and early-warning model of online auditing is constructed using the GM (1,1) model. A case illustration is given to analyze the application of this method.

Findings

Research results show that the reliability of the evaluation method designed in this paper is rigorous and effective. The reliability assessment and early-warning method of online auditing based on RC/AHP/GM (1,1) can assess and give an effective early warning of reliability changes in an online auditing system, which can meet the needs of current online auditing projects.

Practical implications

The results of this study have good potential for widespread future implementation of online auditing projects.

Originality/value

An effective reliability assessment and early-warning method of online auditing is proposed from the perspective of IT audit risk control in this study.