Technical Framework Model of Continuous Online Assurance

The spectacular growth of the Internet in general and the World Wide Web (WWW) in particular, has created a new set of opportunities and challenges confronting corporate management and reporting. These developments emphasize the need for continuous online monitoring of transactions. Continuous online assurance will achieve this need. Continuous online assurance is viewed here as a type of assurance that producing assurance results on a subject matter can be provided simultaneously with, or a short period of time after, the occurrence of relevant events. This article focuses on the emerging field of continuous online assurance. First, the background of continuous online assurance is briefly presented. Thereafter, Continuous online assurance and continuous online audit are separately presented. Finally, technical foundation and framework model are researched. A framework model of continuous assurance based on four important technological advances of XML, XBRL, XARL and Web service is designed.