3 Diligent ACL with AI features for smarter decision-making

The ability to transform data into actionable insights is a game-changer, and AI is facilitating this on many fronts. But for those in governance, risk and compliance (GRC), this task often comes with the added challenge of managing time-consuming processes, from data extraction and normalization to updating KPIs and following up on exceptions. That’s where Diligent ACL with AI comes into play.

Designed exclusively for GRC professionals, ACL with AI automates labor-intensive tasks and removes the need for scripting, whether through a chatbot-like or prompt-based approach to creating analytic tests. This not only frees up valuable time for strategic decision-making and impactful insights but also democratizes the power of analytics, making it more accessible and facilitating the expansion of analytic use cases.

Here, we’ll delve into three of the most popular features of ACL with AI that can significantly enhance your productivity and efficiency. Whether you’re part of a small team or a large organization, these tips and tricks will help you maximize the potential of your Diligent solution, making your data work smarter for you.

*Please note that some features are exclusive to specific packages. If you are a current Diligent customer and have questions about feature availability, we encourage you to reach out to your account manager for further assistance.

1. Data connectors

How does it help? With over 40 native data connectors, including SAP, JSON, LDAP, OpenExchange and Marketo, as well as direct ODBC and REST API capabilities, we help you easily access the data you need, from excel extracts to enterprise datastores.

Who is it for? Business analysts, report writers, IT and data auditors

Tips and tricks for users

• Gain deeper insights with local expertise and front-end access: Get a local subject matter expert familiar with the processes reflected in the data. What's more, get front-end read-only access to the systems you are tapping into. Between the domain SME and this front-end view, you can better understand how business activities and what you’re used to seeing in the UI are captured and represented in the underlying systems.

2. Process automation

How does it help? Automate repetitive manual tasks like general ledger reconciliation and identifying duplicates in your payables to recover lost time for higher and better use while improving the consistency and quality of your overall way of working.

Who is it for? Control owners, control testers, risk and audit practitioners

Tips and tricks for users

• Validate, validate, validate: The most difficult part of any data analytics or process automation is rarely the automation itself but getting access to data and having stakeholders willing to integrate your outputs into their processes. That type of trust is hard to win and easily lost if the end users are flooded with false positives from your analytics because of a misunderstood data attribute, or you end up relying and making decisions on incomplete data because of an inappropriate filter. Your process automations and analytics will need to change and adapt as the operating environment and regulations/processes change, so comprehensive documentation and other change management best practices are a must for a strong, sustainable practice.

3. Real-time monitoring and reporting

How does it help? Create visualizations and gain real-time insights to highlight patterns and outliers in your data. Integrated triggers and workflows ensure you and your team receive timely notifications as exceptions arise, while our native analytics capabilities let you aggregate and focus on the “so what” for executive management and board reporting.

Who is it for? Board and committee members, executive management, control owners and risk owners

Tips and tricks for users

• Start with the end in mind and be thoughtful of your visual real estate: Just because you spent a lot of time preparing a dataset or designing a visual doesn’t mean that it is suitable for your audience. Limit yourself to three to five major visuals per dashboard or storyboard, and you’ll find that the limitation forces you to keep the best and most relevant items.

Next-level data automation: Are you ready?

To see these features in action — and get more information on how Diligent ACL with AI can improve your organization's GRC processes — request to speak with one of our advisors.