https://www.project‐management‐prepcast.com/

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Hello and welcome back to the PM PrepCast. We’re the PMP exam preparation course that removes all the fears you may have around the exam. I am your instructor Cornelius Fichtner.

In this lesson we will take a look at the dreaded exam audit and show you… well… it’s not really all that bad. We will talk about:

• Understand the audit process

• Describe why PMI® performs these audits

• Understand how to best prepare for a possible audit

• And as a result of all of this you will… Realize that chances of being audited are low and that you should just relax and take it as it comes… 

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• First of all, to learn more about audits begin by reading the PMP Credentials Handbook. (the image on the right is the front cover)

• In particular look for the section about the PMI Audit Process and read through it.

• It’s really rather straightforward and in the coming slides we give you all the information you would find there as well.

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I’d also like to mention that if at the end of this presentation you still have any questions about the audit process, then please go to the PMI website where you will find an extensive FAQ in the Certification section of the website. At the time of this recording there were 31 questions and answer there, which should pretty much cover any question you may have.

Look for the link in our student handbook that’ll take you directly to the FAQ.

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Before we get into any of the audit details you need to understand that when you sign up for any PMI exam, you agree that your application may get audited.

So you really want to make sure that you fill in your application truthfully. Because if yourapplication contains nothing but the truth, then you will have nothing to fear from the audit.

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So by applying to take any PMI Exam you automatically agree to comply with the PMI's audit terms. PMI routinely conduct audits of candidate applications to ensure that only qualified individuals attain credentials from PMI.

From the credentials handbook we learn the following about audits:

• All applications are subject to an audit although only a percentage of applications are selected for audit.

• The selection of an application for audit is random.

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But the more important question is of course, why does PMI have audits at all? That’s simple:

• PMI conducts application audits to confirm the experience 

• and education documented on credential applications. 

• The purpose of the audit is also to enhance the credibility of the certification program and of the credential holders. 

• So in essence the audits ensure that that only qualified individuals apply for and attain PMI credentials, because for each credential, a specified percentage of applications are randomly selected for audit.

• And the result of all of this is one of the reasons that all of PMI’s credential retains their high regard.

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• At least once every moth will I come across a message in a newsgroup or forum that talks about the fact that "PMI Application audits are NOT random. A friend of a friend of mine told me that PMI looks at your application and based on the profile you will get audited." 

• These are worthless speculations, because audits are seriously a random affair.

• I say this because According to PMI "all audits are random". That is all that we are told officially and any sort of "audit triggers" that you can imagine (i.e. profiling, application gaps, types of projects, types of education etc.) are pure speculation. And frankly... these kinds of speculations don't help anyone. 

• So don’t worry. You either will or you will not get audited. Period. Instead of worrying, you should

• Know how the audit process works

• You should be prepared for the possibility of an audit

• And in the event that your application is indeed selected for an audit you have to follow the instructions from PMI on how to respond.

So let’s look at the audit process.

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If you are selected for an audit, then you will receive an email from PMI about this. The email contains detailed instructions on what you have to do.

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Also, Once you are being audited the "clock stops". By this we mean that normally you have 1 year following your application to take the exam. But during the audit, this "clock stops" and does not continue until after your audit has been processed. • So if for example your audit takes 6 weeks, then you have 1 year and 6 weeks to take the

exam from the original date of your letter.

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• After you get the info about being audited and then log into your account at PMI • you will find the "audit package" waiting for you. This package contains the details that

you have submitted in your application. • It also contains instructions.

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• In this application you named contact persons for your projects. Print the package and • give the appropriate section to these contacts. • Your contacts have to verify that this is all correct. They have to sign it, put it into a

sealed envelope and then put another signature across the sealed back of the envelope. (Yes, PMI is very serious about this one.)

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o Furthermore, you will also have to make photocopies of the certificates you received. For example from your diplomas or from your training courses to show that you have received your training Contact Hours.

o Then you will have to send the sealed envelopes and your certificate copies to PMI for review.

o It is important to realize, that you have the power to expedite the audit process. The sooner you respond, the sooner it is processed. PMI is usually rather quick in processing your audit documents after you send them in. In some cases it can take as little as only 4 days.

o And then of course… PMI will inform you about their decision via email.

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Here are some more important points about returning the audit documents to PMI

• The good news for everyone is, that the experience verification forums do not have to be notarized.

• So once you have everything ready you can simply send your completed audit forms by regular postal mail or express courier service back to PMI.

• PMI® will not accept faxed or emailed audits documents

• PMI also doesn’t accept an email signature. So you cannot write to your contact person and then print out their email response and send that back as confirmation. They do have to sign the forms by hand.

• Please send all materials at one time, in one envelope, to expedite the processing time

• If you are able to provide the necessary documentation, the audit should take about five to seven business days to complete

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If you are really, really unlucky and you fail the audit, then here is what will happen:

• PMI will refund the credential fee, minus a processing fee to you.

• Your application will of course be rejected

• And then PMI further writes on their website that…

• The Certification Department will address further actions on a case‐by‐case basis.

They do not specify what exactly this means and I personally only know of one person who has failed the audit. He failed because one of his contact personss disagreed with the information that he provided on the application form to PMI. The measures that thecertification department took in his case were drastic: He is now no longer eligible to apply for any PMI certification at all. Not PMP, not PMP, not CAPM… none.

But remember that this is the only person I know of in almost 10 teaching years – so don’t let it get you down. Instead let’s use his story as motivation to prepare and make certain that it doesn’t happen to you.

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That much said, here are my recommendations for you and how you should prepare for an eventual audit:• Know that there is a 50/50 chance that you will get audited.• Be truthful on your PMI application. Stick to the truth, don’t stretch the truth.• Have everything you write in the application documented (i.e. your diplomas, training

certificates, etc)• And this is the most important part: Contact your former employers / supervisors /

colleagues before you submit your application in which you name them as your “contact person”.

• Tell them that you are applying for this exam and that (if you get audited) they would have to review and sign your application

• Even better: Show them what you have written in your application. Send them a copy of your notes about the projects you worked on for them and ask if they agree with what you have written about your participation

• That is the positive and proactive way to approach your application. As I said before… Worrying about whether or not you will get audited because you "fit a certain profile" is futile and will cause you to worry too much. Use that kind of energy instead to properly study for the exam.

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And with that we have come to the end of this lesson. So it's time for Justine to say "X" and of course I say Until Next Time.

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