By completing the examination, USi reestablishes its adherence to one of the most strict, industry-accepted auditing standards for service companies. Attaining SAS 70 Type II certification also provides additional assurance to its clients, through an independent auditor, that its environmental safeguards and logical, physical, and change controls operate effectively.

"SAS 70 Type II reports assure our clients that our operational processes and controls meet high standards for the security and reliability of the systems we manage for our clients," says Josie Ollinger, USi's director for audits and compliance. "Because clients can take advantage of USi's controls, they often have to implement fewer controls and procedures within their own accounting and IT infrastructure. Plus, our SAS 70 examinations eliminate the need for each of our clients to audit USi individually, which saves them time and money."

Regulatory changes in recent years, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, require companies to obtain assurance on the integrity of their data. SAS 70 Type II examinations can help confirm that access to information is limited by physical and logical controls and that this access is internally regulated. USi chooses to undergo AICPA SAS 70 Type II examinations two times a year, providing its customers with a frequent assessment of its environment by an independent auditor.