Dispute Resolution

The dispute resolution process allows auditees to formally challenge audit findings they believe are inaccurate or unjustified. The system provides a structured workflow for submitting disputes, reviewing evidence, and reaching a resolution.

What You Can Do

• Submit a dispute against an open finding with supporting evidence
• Upload supporting documents to substantiate the dispute
• Review dispute details including the reason and evidence provided
• Resolve disputes through one of four resolution actions
• Update finding severity as part of the resolution if appropriate

Dispute Workflow

Finding (Open) --> Dispute Submitted --> Dispute Under Review --> Resolution Decision

1. An auditee disputes a finding, providing a reason and supporting evidence
2. The finding is flagged with a “Disputed” status badge
3. An authorized reviewer examines the dispute and original finding
4. The reviewer selects a resolution action and provides notes

Submitting a Dispute

A dispute can be submitted when a finding meets both conditions:

• The finding status is Open
• The finding has no active dispute (dispute_status is none)

Steps to Submit a Dispute

1. Open the finding detail page
2. Click the Dispute button in the header
3. Complete the dispute form:

Field	Required	Description
Dispute Reason	Yes	A clear explanation of why the finding is being challenged. Provide specific reasoning and relevant context.
Supporting Evidence	No	Additional evidence, document references, or context that supports the dispute claim
Supporting Documents	No	File uploads (documents, images, or other files) that substantiate the dispute

4. Click Submit Dispute

Caution

The dispute reason is required and should be thorough. Provide clear, factual reasoning to help the reviewer make an informed decision. Vague disputes are more likely to be maintained as-is.

Dispute Statuses

Status	Description
None	No dispute has been filed
Disputed	A dispute has been submitted and is awaiting resolution
Resolved	The dispute has been reviewed and a resolution decision has been made
Withdrawn	The dispute or finding has been withdrawn

Resolving a Dispute

Only users with Admin, QA Team, or Lead Auditor roles can resolve disputes.

Steps to Resolve a Dispute

1. Open the finding detail page for a disputed finding
2. Click Resolve Dispute in the header
3. The dispute resolution panel displays:
   • Dispute Information — who disputed, when, and their stated reason
   • Resolution Form — where you select an action and provide notes

Resolution Actions

Choose one of four resolution actions:

Action	Effect	Description
Accept Dispute	Finding withdrawn	Accept the company’s dispute and withdraw the finding. The finding is marked as withdrawn.
Maintain Finding	Finding unchanged	The dispute is resolved but the original finding remains unchanged.
Update Finding	Severity may change	Update the finding based on the dispute. You can modify the severity level.
Withdraw Finding	Finding removed	Withdraw the finding completely from the audit.

When Updating a Finding

If you select Update Finding, an additional field appears:

• Updated Severity — Select the new severity level (Critical, Major, Minor, or Observation)

This allows you to downgrade or adjust a finding’s severity in response to valid dispute evidence without fully withdrawing it.

Resolution Notes

Provide notes explaining your resolution decision. While not strictly required, resolution notes are strongly recommended to maintain a clear audit trail of the decision-making process.

4. Click Resolve Dispute to apply the resolution

Note

All dispute submissions and resolutions are recorded in the finding’s comment thread as status updates, maintaining a complete audit trail of the dispute process.

Viewing Dispute Information

When a finding has been disputed, the finding card displays:

• A Disputed badge (yellow) next to the finding status
• The dispute reason in a highlighted yellow panel
• The dispute information in the finding detail page

After resolution:

• The badge updates to Resolved (green) or Withdrawn (gray)
• Resolution details are visible in the finding history

Permissions

Action	Who Can Do It
Submit a dispute	Any user viewing the finding (when finding is open, no prior dispute)
Resolve a dispute	Admin, QA Team, or Lead Auditor
View dispute details	Any user with access to the finding

Best Practices

Tip

• Be specific when writing dispute reasons. Reference specific documents, procedures, or evidence.
• Attach supporting files whenever possible to strengthen the dispute case.
• Respond promptly to disputes to keep the audit on schedule.
• Document resolution rationale thoroughly in the resolution notes for future reference and regulatory compliance.

Related Topics

• Audit Findings — Recording and managing findings
• Audit Reports — Dispute resolutions can be included in audit reports