How do I set up an engagement communication tool for tracking outstanding audit items and sending deadline reminders?

Here’s a practical way to set up an engagement communication tool for tracking outstanding audit items and sending deadline reminders.

1) Define the workflow

Start by mapping the lifecycle of an audit item:

• Open / Requested
• In progress
• Submitted
• Reviewed
• Closed
• Overdue

For each item, decide:

• who owns it
• due date
• priority
• status
• reminder schedule
• escalation path

2) Choose the right platform

You can build this in:

• Excel / Google Sheets for simple tracking
• Microsoft Lists / SharePoint for structured team use
• Smartsheet / Asana / Monday.com for task workflows
• Power Apps / Power Automate or Google Apps Script for custom reminders
• Audit management software if you need a full enterprise solution

If your main goal is deadline tracking + reminders, a shared list plus automation is usually enough.

3) Create the core tracking fields

Your tracker should include columns like:

• Engagement name
• Audit item ID
• Request description
• Owner
• Reviewer
• Due date
• Status
• Date requested
• Days remaining
• Last reminder sent
• Reminder count
• Escalation status
• Notes / comments
• Link to evidence or documents

4) Set up reminder rules

A common reminder schedule is:

• 7 days before due date
• 3 days before due date
• 1 day before due date
• On due date
• Every 2–3 days overdue
• Escalate after X days overdue

You can tailor this by item priority.

5) Automate notifications

Use automation to send emails or chat messages:

• to the item owner
• optionally to the engagement lead
• and to a manager if overdue

Automation logic:

• If status is not “Closed”
• and due date is approaching or passed
• then send reminder based on rule
• record the reminder timestamp in the tracker

6) Standardize the reminder message

Keep reminders short and consistent. Example:

Subject: Reminder: Audit item due on [Due Date]
Body:
Hello [Owner],
This is a reminder that the following audit item is due on [Due Date]:

• [Item ID / Description]
  Current status: [Status]
  Please upload the requested evidence or update the status in the tracker.
  Thank you.

7) Add escalation

If items are overdue beyond a threshold:

• notify the owner again
• copy the reviewer
• then copy the engagement manager or department head

This helps prevent items from staying open without attention.

8) Make the tracker easy to use

Include:

• dropdowns for status and priority
• conditional formatting for overdue items
• filters by owner, due date, and status
• a dashboard showing open items, overdue items, and items due this week

9) Establish governance

Decide:

• who updates statuses
• how often the tracker is reviewed
• how reminders are configured
• who can edit due dates
• how exceptions are approved

10) Test before rollout

Before using it live:

• test reminder timing
• verify recipient lists
• check date calculations
• confirm escalation works
• ensure users receive notices only when appropriate

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Simple setup option in Microsoft 365

If you want a quick solution:

1. Build the tracker in Microsoft Lists
2. Store files in SharePoint
3. Use Power Automate to:
   • check due dates daily
   • send reminder emails
   • update “last reminder sent”
4. Use a Teams channel for alerts

Simple setup option in Google Workspace

1. Build the tracker in Google Sheets
2. Store evidence in Google Drive
3. Use Apps Script to:
   • check deadlines daily
   • send Gmail reminders
   • log reminder history

If you want, I can also give you:

• a sample tracker template
• a Power Automate flow design
• or a Google Sheets + Apps Script example for reminders.