An auditor’s responsibility is not limited to checking whether the team follows existing procedures; the auditor also evaluates whether the process is effective and capable of preventing quality problems. If a missing process step could cause product failure, the issue is relevant audit evidence and should be reported. Ignoring the issue because it is not currently documented would allow a serious process weakness to remain hidden. Asking management to approve a procedure change during the audit would compromise independence and is not the auditor’s role. Filing it separately for a future audit delays needed attention. The appropriate action is to include the finding in the audit report so management can evaluate risk and initiate corrective action.

================