ActiveData, ACL and IDEA Feature Matrix
Considering other computer-assisted audit tools, such as IDEA or ACL? Or perhaps you already use them and have heard how easy it is to fit ActiveData into your existing mix of data analytics tools.
Whatever the case, we urge you to compare ActiveData's feature set and evaluate it to see how it can fit into your mix of data analytics and CAATs tools.
You might find that most, if not all of your analysis can be performed in the comfort of ActiveData and Excel at a fraction of the cost of the significantly more expensive offerings from ACL and IDEA.
| Category | Feature | Video | ActiveData * | ACL | IDEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analytical Features | |||||
| Summarize |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Statistics | |
|
|
|
|
| Outlier Analysis | |
|
|
||
| Stratification | |
|
|
|
|
| Aging | |
|
|
|
|
| Benford's Law | |
|
|
|
|
| Random Sampling | |
|
|
|
|
| Stratified Random Sampling | |
|
|
|
|
| Monetary Unit Sampling | |
|
|
|
|
| Duplicate Detection | |
|
|
|
|
| Duplicate Deletion | |
|
|
|
|
| Gap Detection | |
|
|
|
|
| Cross Tabulate | |
|
|
|
|
| Levenshtein Fuzzy Matching | |
|
|||
| Worksheet / Table Manipulation | |||||
| Join / Merge | |
|
|
|
|
| Compare | |
|
|
|
|
| Combine | |
|
|
||
| Split | |
|
|
|
|
| Query | |
|
|
|
|
| Query By Example | |
|
|
|
|
| Query By Match | |
|
|||
| Duplication | |
|
|
||
| Sort | |
|
|
|
|
| Row Manipulation | |||||
| Row Tagging / Ticking | |
|
|||
| Insertion | |
||||
| Duplication | |
||||
| Blank Row Removal | |
||||
| Column Manipulation | |||||
| Calculated Columns | |
|
|
|
|
| Split | |
|
|
|
|
| Combine | |
||||
| Arrange | |
|
|
|
|
| Blank Column Removal | |
||||
| Duplication | |
||||
| Insertion | |
||||
| Column Properties | |
|
|
||
| Cell Manipulation | |||||
| Cell Conversion | |
|
|||
| Fill | |
|
|||
| Transpose | |
||||
| Cell Properties | |
|
|||
| Workbook Manipulation | |||||
| Workbook Navigation | |
||||
| Global Find / Replace | |
|
|||
| Workbook Indexing | |
|
|||
| Workbook Navigation | |
|
|||
| Worksheet Navigation | |
||||
| Selection Navigation | |
|
|||
| Workbook History | |
|
|||
| Import Odbc Data | |
|
|
|
|
| File And Folder Listings | |
|
|
||
| Other Features | |||||
| Electronic Delivery | |
|
|||
| Regular Expressions | |
|
|||
| Audit Log | |
|
|
||
| COM Automation | |
||||
| Terminal Server | |
|
|
||
| Silent Install | |
|
|
Outfit your entire audit team with ActiveData for Excel for less than the cost of a single license for ACL or IDEA!.
More ActiveData vs ACL vs IDEA
| Analysis Type | Description | ActiveData | ACL | IDEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Append / Merge |
Combines two files with identical fields into a single file. An example would be tomerge two years worth of accounts payable history into one file. | |
|
|
| Audit Log |
Maintains a documentation log of all procedures performed on a data file. | |
|
|
| Calculated Field/ Functions |
Created a calculated field (which can use a function such as ABS for the absolute value of the field) using data within the file. For example, the net payroll pay to an employee could be recalculated using the gross pay field and deducting any withholding/taxes. | |
|
|
| Cross Tabulate |
Cross Tabulate lets you analyze character fields by setting them in rows and columns. By cross-tabulating character fields, you can produce various summaries, explore areas of interest, and accumulate numeric fields. | |
|
|
| Digital Analysis |
Completes digital analysis tests (i.e., Benford’s Law). | |
|
|
| Duplicates |
Identifies duplicate items within a specified field in a file. For example, this report could be used to identify duplicate billings if invoices within the sales file. | |
|
|
| Export |
Creates a file in another software format (e.g., Excel, Word) for testing. An example would be to export customer address information to Word for "Mail Merge"ing to customer confirmation letters. | * |
|
|
| Extract/Filter |
Extracts specified items from one file and copies them to another file, normally using an "if" or "where" statement. Examples include extracting all balances over a predefined limit. | |
|
|
| Gaps |
Identifies gaps within a specified field in a file. For example, identify any gaps in check sequence. | |
|
|
| Index / Sort |
Sorts a file in ascending or descending order. An example would be sorting a file on social security number to see if any blank or "999999999" numbers exist. | ** |
|
|
| Join / Relate |
Combines specified fields from two different files into a single file using key fields. This function is used to create relational databases on key fields. It can also be done in an unmatched fashion to identify differences between data files. | |
|
|
| Sample |
Creates random or monetary unit samples from a specified population. | |
|
|
| Statistics |
Calculates various statistics on a selected numeric field. | |
|
|
| Summarize |
Accumulates numerical values based on a specified key field. An example would be summarizing travel and entertainment expense amounts by employee to identify unusually high payment amounts. | |
|
|
| Manipulate and mine data within existing Excel spreadsheets |
Arrange columns, Add calculated columns, Match information based on fuzzy logic, Tag rows and columns of data based on specific criteria, Sort information to new sheets | |
* This is standard functionality within Excel
** Improves on standard Excel functionality, allows sort by double click at top of column
Outfit your entire audit team with ActiveData for Excel for less than the cost of a single license for ACL or IDEA!.
Discounts for Government, Educators, Non-profits and multiple licenses.
Need more power? Check out ActiveData for Office / SQL.
".. tools such as ACL and CaseWare IDEA have long been utilized, but an application called ActiveData brings many of their high-end capabilities to an Excel platform for a fraction of the cost ... making this an attractive competitive product that firms will actually use."
- Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA, The CPA Technology Advisor
