Overview

Data visualizations are a powerful tool used by auditors to perform risk assessments. Data is analyzed to look for anomalies within accounting transactions. Typically, auditors import data from an Excel spreadsheet to produce the visualizations. For this activity, you will access Power BI through SNHU's Virtual Desktop Interface, also known as the VDI, and import data to display it through visualization. The data file will be available inside the VDI.

Directions

For this assignment, you receive product sales data and the corresponding visualization from your IT Service Department. The sales data is in the form of Power BI data visualization, which can be accessed by following steps in How to Use the VDI to Open Your Power BI Visualization found in the Supporting Materials section. This sales data is for the years 2018 and 2019, and the figures provide sales and product data for five different products. Use the Average Quantity Sold Report to address the rubric criteria:

Specifically, you must address the following:

1. Open Data Visualization and capture a screenshot that includes your login.
   1. Log in to the VDI.
   2. Open data visualization using Power BI.
   3. Capture a screenshot of your view of the data visualization and paste it into a Word document.
2. Analyze product sales by product using sales data for 2018 and 2019. Answer the following questions:
   1. During December 2019, which product has a higher amount of average quantity sold?
      1. LC-3006
      2. C-6001
      3. LK-4001
      4. BL-2001
   2. Which product has a higher amount of average quantity sold in November 2019 compared to November 2018?
      1. O-8005
      2. LC-3006
      3. LK-4001
      4. BL-2001
   3. Which product shows an obvious decreasing trend in the last quarter of 2018 in terms of the average quantity sold?
      1. BL-2001
      2. C-6001
      3. LK-4001
      4. O-8005
3. Make a sales prediction using the data visualization.
   1. The company has a concern that the sales department may try to increase the sales revenue in December to receive more bonuses. Based on the average quantity sold in each month in 2018 and 2019, do you have the data to confirm whether this is happening? If you do have the data, what data is used to make this confirmation? If you do not have the data, what additional data is needed to make the confirmation?
4. Analyze product inventory using data visualization.
   1. Starting in 2020, the company decides to use the change in average quantity sold between December 2018 and December 2019 to predict the inventory level the company needs for each product in 2020. Which products will require a higher inventory level and which products can maintain a similar inventory level?
5. Explain the advantages of using a data visualization tool for audit analytics.