In AuditSoft the overall results for documentation review and observation tour questions that span multiple sites are calculated either based on Weighted Average (default) or the Mathematical Average. The method used is defined by your certifying partner or certification body and cannot be changed by the user.


Mathematical Average

When using the mathematical average the % compliant assigned at each of the visited sites are added together and divided by the number of visited sites. The calculation is simple but ignores the number of employees at each site. 


In the the example below we have 3 sites with a different % compliant at each visited site and it shows how the average result is calculated. 



Weighted Average

The more accepted industry standard, and the default within AuditSoft, is to calculate the result for each question based on both the % compliant assigned at each of the visited sites and the number of employees at each visited sites. For example a site with 50 employees is “more important” (has a higher weight) than a site with 5 employees.


In the the example below we have the same 3 sites as listed in the mathematical average example above with a different % complaint at each visited sites, but in this case we are also using the number of employees at each site to calculate the weighted average result. The example clearly shows that the % compliant at the site with 200 employees (Site X) has a much larger impact on the overall result than the site with only 5 employees (Site Z)