Meet Arbutus Analyzer
Trusted by Auditors & Data Experts Worldwide
Join the 1000s of Auditors making their job easier and more insightful with Arbutus
Watch this video to find out more about Arbutus
KEY FEATURES
No data leaves your organisation (on-premise data storage)
Designed for use by audit / business users (not data scientists)
Choice of four usage approaches, including no-code analytics
Advanced functions to simplify and speed up complex analytics
Easily capture and repeat analytics
Connect to virtually any data source (including Cloud and Azure environments)
No data size or record number limitations – perfect for Big Data
Flexible licencing approach
Includes 90 pre-built tests (no subscription required)
PowerBi connector available
Fully scalable to a fully integrated Continuous Assurance tool
Established over 25 years ago and utilised in over 60+ countries
Arbutus Analyzer is a powerful data analytics tool designed to help users obtain insight from their data, or to identify data omissions or errors.
Arbutus is suitable for any industry and teams of any size, including single users. It’s a credible replacement for Caseware IDEA, ACL, and Alteryx, as well as offering a natural upgrade to Microsoft’s “free” products.
- Perfect for non-techy users.
- Easier to use than Excel and far more powerful.
- Includes “No-Code” Analytics.
- Powerful, complex analytics – simple to use and understand.
- Support from Auditors for Auditors.
All for the equivalent investment of 3 auditor hours per month!
Don’t get left behind! Auditors worldwide are upping their game and using detailed data analytics to provide management with impactful recommendations to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve control adherence.
How Does Arbutus Compare to Your Current Data Analytics Tool?
The data analytics market is packed with tools catering to different users, budgets, and functionalities. Finding the right solution requires choosing one that aligns with your organisation’s needs, team expertise, and long-term analytics strategy.
“Having used both xxxx and Arbutus Analytics software, it is clear there are vast differences between the two.
The most significant difference is the capability to handle vast quantities of data. xxxxx as it is an excel module used to struggle with anything over 50k+ of data lines, you would have to spend parts of your day waiting for the software to process the instructions you had given it. As a comparison, Arbutus can process this data in a single second with no lag whatsoever.
In addition, another key difference is the type of output you can obtain in terms of how the data is presented post analytics – Arbutus is able to produce graphs, pie charts etc that are good enough for inclusion as an appendix in the back of an audit report, xxxx whilst certain visual output can be produced, it is nowhere near the same level of detail or as aesthetically pleasing as Arbutus and would almost always result in extra work being required.
Further, xxxx would only accept source data if it was in an excel format. This severely limits the amount of analytical review you can complete compared to Arbutus that can process anything from txt files to PDF documents – This is going to be of huge benefit to us considering all of the finance reports, board reports etc are produced in PDF.
xxxx is a useful tool in terms of completing basic analytics but having now used Arbutus, it is clear the systems are polar opposites in terms of functionality, capability and output, all in favour of Arbutus.”
Sean K
Client Manager
If you’re looking for advanced features like PDF data extraction, duplicate detection, or powerful audit capabilities, not all tools offer the same level of functionality – and so you may not be achieving all that you could be.
Compare your current tool with Arbutus to see how it measures up. Select your existing software from the list below to explore key differences and advantages.
Excel
Reliable audit trail: Be able to prove and document how your results were arrived at. This also allows you to repeat your analytics using the previously created audit trail.
Integrated Continuous Monitoring: Just right click a script to schedule
Integrated Collaborative Analytics and Project Sharing: Any project items (tables, scripts, …) can be shared within your group, providing a single source for this information, eliminating deployment issues and ensuring the most current version is always used
Natural upgrade to Excel: The simple yet powerful command language is similar to Excel making makes scripts easier to understand, and document
Easily support data from virtually any source, from PCs, to SQL, to the web, to IBM mainframes and complex PDFs
Support for the largest data files: whether you have a million records or a billion
Easily combine data from any disparate data sources
Read only: data cannot be changed
Limited Advanced Functionality: Analyzer has inbuilt Machine Learning capability and can access common AI models. Additionally, Arbutus can interact with Python and R.
Power BI
User Friendly: A range of usage options available, including “drag and drop” no-code analytics.
Powerful Duplicate Analysis: Find duplicates using numerous data fields and the option to include “near but not exact” matches.
Reliable audit trail: Be able to prove and document how your results were arrived at. This also allows you to repeat your analytics using the previously created audit trail.
Easily support data from virtually any source, from PCs, to SQL, to the web, to IBM mainframes and complex PDFs
Support for the largest data files: whether you have a million records or a billion whether you have a million records or a billion
Easily combine data from any disparate data sources
Limited Advanced Functionality: Analyzer has inbuilt Machine Learning capability and can access common AI models. Additionally, Arbutus can interact with Python and R.
IDEA
Flexible Licensing: No minimum licence numbers, both individual and concurrent licensing options are available.
Dramatically improved performance: Data processing on the order of a million or more records per second
Read data without first requiring importing: No duplication of data, or time wasted importing and “import queues” are no longer needed
Support for the largest data files: whether you have a million records or a billion
Simple yet powerful command language, that is similar to Excel. Reduces “programming” and makes the maintenance of scripts easier
Limited Advanced Functionality: Analyzer has inbuilt Machine Learning capability and can access common AI models. Additionally, Arbutus can interact with Python and R.
All of the features described under ACL
ACL /Diligent
Flexible Licensing: No minimum licence numbers, both individual and concurrent licensing options are available
Performance: depending on what you are doing, Analyzer can be two, three, ten or even hundreds of times faster than ACL. Arbutus will also take advantage of your better hardware if you have it, with multi-threaded processing on CPU intensive processes.
Budget friendly: Protect yourself from high and increasing software costs. With Arbutus you will upgrade your software while lowering your costs
Easy switch because it is compatible with ACL: Just open an ACL project and all aspects are automatically converted and immediately available for use (Tables, Scripts, Folders, Relations)
User Friendly: A range of usage options available, including “drag and drop” no-code analytics.
Limited Advanced Functionality: Analyzer has inbuilt Machine Learning capability and can access common AI models. Additionally, Arbutus can interact with Python and R.
Alteryx
Budget friendly: Arbutus offers significantly lower licensing fees
Better results: Arbutus offers stronger Fuzzy “close but not exact match” Analytics
For Audit: More audit specific analytics
Choice of usage styles: Sometimes it’s not possible to do everything that you need to do using “drag and drop” no-code analytics, so with Arbutus you have the option to also use more advanced interface methods when needed.
Integrated Collaborative Analytics and Project Sharing: Any project items can be shared within your group, providing a single source for this information, eliminating deployment issues and ensuring the most current version is always used
Limited Advanced Functionality: Analyzer has inbuilt Machine Learning capability and can access common AI models. Additionally, Arbutus can interact with Python and R.
Teammate Analytics
All of the features described under Excel
Support for the largest data files: whether you have a million records or a billion
Performance: depending on what you are doing, Analyzer can be two, three, ten or even hundreds of times faster than Excel. Arbutus will also take advantage of your better hardware if you have it, with multi-threaded processing on CPU intensive processes.
Flexible Result Publishing: Arbutus is able to produce quality graphs, pie charts etc or can automatically email results to the recipient.
Easily support data from virtually any source, from PCs, to SQL, to the web, to IBM mainframes and complex PDFs
Limited Advanced Functionality: Analyzer has inbuilt Machine Learning capability and can access common AI models. Additionally, Arbutus can interact with Python and R.
WHO CAN USE ARBUTIS
- Analyse 100% of transactions.
- Identify error trends and root causes.
- Efficient testing with up to near time / real time frequency.
- Delivery of Continuous Assurance tests
- Identify unusual transactions / transaction patterns
- Search for known (fraud) data patterns
- Real-time / Near-time fraud detection
- “Normalizing” addresses for advanced data matching
- Confirm the correct format of data records
- Identify and quantify data errors
- Identify error trends and root cause analysis
- Create remedial workflows to correct errors
- Automate reconciliations and release staff to higher value tasks
- Perform typical External Audit tests in advance of the audit
- Automate manual controls
- Perform advanced duplicate payment tests before the payment is made
- Identification of key words i.e. Expenses description
- Automated SOx Testing
- Automating IT General Computer controls
- Analyse firewall / activity logs and alerts
- Segregation of Duty checks
- Generate control reports
- KPI Adherence / Reporting
- Automate manual controls
- Identify unusual transactions and transaction trends
- Create remedial workflows
Case Studies
Arbutus Analytics Resources
ARBUTUS COMPONENTS
Analyzer Plus
Powerful and Versitile data analytics desktop application
Arbutus Analyzer is the cornerstone and workhorse of the platform. It is the desktop interface through which the user interacts with the software and the data.
Hub
Shared resources & automated analytics centralised, staged & secure Data
The Arbutus Hub, whilst optional, is the central component of the platform where full automation is needed. It enables data files, tables and procedures to be shared, as well as access to the full scheduling capability.
Results Manager
Browser based managment
The Arbutus Results Manager is an optional component that adds exception resolution workflows to the system – automatically direct errors and omissions to the right person for investigation and resolution.
Web Connect
Browser based data analysis portal
Arbutus Web Connect is an optional component that provides browser based access to the entire analytics repository, acting as a self-serve analytics portal.
ARBUTUS SMART APPS
Get a Headstart Driving Your Analytics Results
Designed for users at all levels. SmartApps are Arbutus procedures (scripts) that are part of the standard Arbutus Analyzer installation. There are 70 SmartApps, and they execute widely used audit analytics in the following business areas:
Accounts Payable (AP) Analytics
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Accounts Receivable (AR) Analytics
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Fixed Asset (FA) Analytics
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Fraud/ Compliance (FR) Analytics
Learn More
General Ledger- Journal Entries (JE) Analytics
Learn More
Inventory (IN) Analytics
Learn More
HR / Payroll
Learn More
Integration with PowerBI,
Python and R
To enhance analytics functionality, Arbutus plays nicely with other analytics software packages.
Python and R commands can be initiated from within Arbutus to provide that extra dimension to your analytics.
Arbutus has a dedicated PowerBI connector providing a direct data feed to the organisation’s PowerBI dashboards and reporting mechanisms.
BUILT IN ACCESS
Without adding any other connection modules, Arbutus can import directly from the following sources:
Delimited files (.cdv, .del)
Excel (.xlsx)
Access (.accdb, .mdb)
Flat files (.txt)
XML
AS400
Cobol Copybook
PL/1
dBase
ODBC-compliant databases (Oracle)
Data Security
Arbutus does not access or host client data; instead, it is installed on-premise or within your cloud environment, ensuring complete control over your data and who can access it.
DATA CONNECTORS
Arbutus includes a growing suite of data connectors that allow direct access to popular data sources, such as Databases, Cloud Sources, and Application Data.
Specialist SAP connectors are also available.
Don’t see the connector you need? These are just an example – please contact us and ask!
Some of the connectors available include:
ARBUTUS TRAINING
We offer several training solutions to help you master the skills in using Arbutus data analytics software.
For training breakdown, pricing and timetable visit out training page.
FAQ
Why have I not heard of Arbutus?
Although Arbutus has been in existence for over 20 years and is used in over 60 countries worldwide, it is a relative newcomer to the UK market, with Technology4business bringing it to the UK market 3 years ago. Still same timeline?
What data can I use?
Analyzer can accept data of virtually any data type or source. Standard “structured” data formats are accepted with ease, data from PDF documents and reports can be can used, as can data from over 70 common applications, sharepoint and cloud repositories via ODBC connectors.
Specialist connectors to SAP and PowerBi are also available to enhance flexibility and insight that you can gain from Analyzer.
Do you have standard tests included?
Yes, Arbutus has 70 standard tests included within the licence fee (no additional cost/subscription required). These utilise user friendly menus to allow users to define test parameters
What sets Arbutus Analyzer apart from my existing Data Analytics Tool?
Well of course it depends on what tool you are currently using! But key aspects that our clients comment on are:
– Deployability: the ability to choose the method of interacting with Arbutus, from “drag and Drop” instructions, through powerful command buttons / menus for common tasks, to Excel familiar expressions means that users are able to choose which method of interaction they prefer. This encourages and helps adoption across the whole team.
– Analytics Power: All tools claim the most power / fastest analytics speed – but with the direct reading of delimited files, and software optimised for modern multicore processors – we are so confident on Arbutus’ performance that you can try it on your own data and decide for yourself.
– Flexible Licencing Options: Whether you want single licences or concurrent, for use by the whole team, (or both) our licencing options have you covered.
– ACL Compatibility: Arbutus is fully compatible with any existing ACL projects that you have, and users will find Arbutus familiar.
Where is the data held?
Arbutus does not access or host Client data. Instead, Arbutus is installed “on-premise”, or within your own cloud environment. This means that you are always in control of your data and who has access to it.
Continuous Auditing / Monitoring / Assurance
What is Continuous Assurance?
Often referred to as Continuous Auditing or Continuous Monitoring, we prefer to use the term Continuous Assurance, as this encapsulates the core principles without getting bogged down in terminology and discussions around Audit Independence.
In essence, Continuous Assurance is the “industrialisation” of data analytic tests / routines. Typically these will run without intervention in an automated schedule that is appropriate to the analysis being undertaken. This could be to test the operation of a key control, or to address a key “pain point” within the organisation.
The results are automatically communicated to key stakeholder as specified (automated email, web browser portal, or remedial workflow).
How can we use it?
In essence, Continuous Assurance is the “industrialisation” of data analytic tests / routines.
Typically this means that analytics are run without intervention via an automated schedule that is appropriate to the analysis being undertaken, with the results automatically communicated to key stakeholder as specified (automated email, web browser portal, or remedial workflow).
Continuous Assurance can be used to test the operation of a key control, or to address a key “pain point” within the organisation – at a time and frequency appropriate to the analytics requirement.
How can Arbutus help?
Arbutus provides a full range of complementary products that means that Arbutus is completely scalable to keep pace with your data analytic requirements.
Products include, Arbutus Analyzer (desktop software), Arbutus Hub (data sharing, scheduling of automated analytics, publishing of analytics results), Arbutus WebConnect (allows access to analytic results via a web browser), and Arbutus Results Manager (integrate analytics outputs with remedial workflows to facilitate the correction of errors / omissions by organisational management).
How can we get started?
The traditional approach to Continuous Assurance is what we call the “Audit Recycle” approach – when the Audit team “industrialise” the analytics undertaken during their audits. Whilst there is nothing wrong with this approach, the incremental approach means that it can take some time for the Continuous Assurance to “come on-line” and make an impact.
If you are looking for something more immediate, or you have a known pain point, Technology4Business can work with you to provide a fully deployed Continuous Assurance solution. Please enquire for further information.
Is it just for audit?
Absolutely not! On of the key benefits of using Arbutus for Continuous Assurance, is the seamless integration with the operational areas of the organisation. Remedial workflows can be designed and built to manage the resolution of identified anomalies and exceptions by management, with automated reporting dashboards enabling the timely and accurate tracking of remediation activities.
enquiries@technology4business.co.uk
or +44 1332 505 901.
You can also use the form below.
Request a Free Demo
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY4BUSINESS
Technology 4 Business is a UK-based training and software company specialising in auditing and analytics. Founder Neil Macdonald has previously held roles as Head of Audit, so he fully understands the Audit analytics process and its challenges.
“Auditors are often underappreciated, and I want to change that by helping you to effectively and easily use detailed analytics to not only make your job easier but also to provide greater insights and value to management.”
During my time in audit, I worked in a number of different teams, used various audit methodologies and tried a range of audit analytics tools. This experience led me to select Arbutus Analyzer as our data analytics software of choice.
We introduced it to the UK, knowing that the software alone can make a big difference to audit teams. However, it becomes even more powerful when coupled with support from me and other auditors. We can advise and help clients not just on how to use Arbutus but also on how to best use the technology within an audit context and methodology to achieve the outcome that they are looking for.
This sets us apart from others in the data analytics market who use technical specialists for their client support and who may not fully understand what auditors are trying to achieve and the best audit techniques to help you get there.
Neil Macdonald
Founder of Technology 4 Business
WHY USE ARBUTUS
Established over 20 years ago, Arbutus combines the best functionality within the data analytics market in a single, cost-effective product.
Arbutus is suitable for any industry and teams of any size, including single users. It’s a credible replacement for Caseware IDEA, ACL, and Alteryx, as well as offering a natural upgrade to Microsoft’s “free” products.
- Safe and Secure – Your data doesn’t leave your organisation
- Fully scalable – Including Repeatable Analytics and Continuous Assurance
- Analyse virtually any Data Source
- Integration with PowerBI, Python and R
- Flexible Training and Licencing Options (no minimum licences)
- Support from Auditors, not just software specialists
What Sets Arbutus & Technology 4 Business Apart:
Deployability:
Multiple interaction methods and a familiar feel to Excel encourage adoption across the entire team.
Analytics Power:
Optimised for modern multicore processors, no file size limit and direct reading of delimited files ensures superior performance.
Flexible Licensing Options:
With no minimum licence requirements and a mix of licence types, our licencing options have you covered.
ACL Compatibility:
Arbutus is fully compatible with existing ACL projects, enabling a seamless switch to Arbutus.