Who is this article for?

Users who access Ideagen Audit Analytics data via the WRDS platform.

Ideagen Audit Analytics subscription and WRDS access is required.

This article answers common questions about accessing and working with Audit Analytics data through the WRDS (Wharton Research Data Services) platform.

Overview

Subscription and access

WRDS (Wharton Research Data Services) is a third-party academic data platform hosted by the University of Pennsylvania. WRDS provides a web-based query interface and SAS/Python/R access to Ideagen Audit Analytics data feeds. Users must subscribe to Ideagen Audit Analytics through their institution to access data on WRDS.

WRDS users' subscriptions include access to Ideagen Audit Analytics data through both WRDS and the Ideagen Audit Analytics website. You can request access through the Audit Analytics Academic User Registration site.

For more information about Ideagen Audit Analytics, visit the Audit Intelligence Solutions page.

WRDS and the Ideagen Audit Analytics platform

WRDS ingests Ideagen Audit Analytics data feeds directly. The Ideagen Audit Analytics platform combines those feeds with additional business logic and presents a curated view with features like saved searches, entity profiles, and alerts. The two platforms serve different purposes and are intentionally different — data on WRDS and data on the Ideagen Audit Analytics platform are not directly comparable.

Key differences include:

• Update frequency: WRDS refreshes quarterly; the platform updates daily. Records added or corrected after the last WRDS refresh will not appear on WRDS until the next update
• Data structure: Some databases are structured differently across platforms. For example, the WRDS restatements feed includes restatements and out-of-period adjustments together, while the platform separates them. Additionally, the website exports often combine data from multiple data sets, whereas only the fields for each specific dataset are available on WRDS
• Variable naming: Variable names may be slightly different on each platform
• Filters and scope: Default filters on the platform (e.g. entity type, date range) may narrow results differently than a WRDS query with no filters applied
• Querying: WRDS has more flexible querying functionality and greater integration with statistical software programs

If you are comparing counts between WRDS and the Ideagen Audit Analytics platform, check which dataset and filters you are using on each. For help reconciling specific differences, contact support@auditanalytics.com.

Data update frequency

Data on WRDS is updated quarterly. The most recent WRDS update date is displayed on each dataset's query page and is also available in the WRDS Data Calendar by choosing Ideagen Audit Analytics. If you need the latest data between quarterly refreshes, use the Ideagen Audit Analytics website, which is updated daily.

Finding correct dataset names

A few datasets use different names on WRDS than on the Ideagen Audit Analytics platform. Common examples:

• Current Auditor (WRDS) = Auditor Engagements (platform)
• Revised Audit Opinions (WRDS) = Audit Opinions (platform)
• Non-Reliance Restatements or Feed 39 (WRDS) = Financial Restatements (platform, which also separated out-of-period adjustments)

When in doubt, check the dataset description on the WRDS query page or contact support@auditanalytics.com for a mapping.

Checking data coverage periods

Detailed information about each dataset, including when data collection began, is available within the Ideagen Audit Analytics Database Catalogue by viewing each product individually.

Working with supporting tables

On WRDS, each Ideagen Audit Analytics database has a main feed (accessible through the web query form) and one or more supporting tables that contain related detail, such as people names, addresses, or subsidiary information. Supporting tables are only accessible through SAS Studio or other programmatic methods (Python, R, SQL); they do not appear in the web query interface.

If you cannot find a specific field in the web query, it is likely in a supporting table. Check the WRDS data dictionary for the relevant dataset, which lists all main and supporting table fields.

Note

Supporting table names may be shortened depending on where they are viewed. For example, in Feed 72 EUROPE_AUDIT_OPINION, the int_audit_opinion_auditor supporting table is shortened to f72intaudopiaud on WRDS Cloud.

To access supporting tables using the data dictionary:

1. View the paths of the dataset on WRDS cloud in the data dictionaries.
2. Select the Data Preview tab.
3. Scroll down the page.
4. Click ACCESS ALL DATA.
5. Follow the instructions on the pop-up page.

To access supporting tables using other methods see the three ways to use WRDS page.

Finding variable definitions

The Ideagen Audit Analytics Big Data Dictionary contains definitions for all data points available on WRDS. This is updated quarterly.

You can also access definitions for the data points found on the Ideagen Audit Analytics website through the Additional Support Manuals. Beginning June 2026, these data dictionaries are updated bi-annually.

Choosing correct data dictionary

There are two different sets of data dictionaries: the feed data dictionaries (available on WRDS) and the platform version on the Ideagen Audit Analytics website.

If you use WRDS, start with the WRDS data dictionaries (also called variable descriptions or codebooks) available directly on the WRDS platform. These match WRDS feed field names, table structures, and variable formats.

If you use the Ideagen Audit Analytics platform, use the data dictionaries on the Audit Analytics website or on WRDS under Additional Support Manuals. These reflect the platform's field names and organisation. The platform data dictionaries may also contain different information related to the data set and more granular definitions of some variables, such as taxonomy lists.

The two sets of data dictionaries describe the same underlying data but use different field names, table structures, and conventions. Using the wrong data dictionary can cause confusion when interpreting variables.

Merging Ideagen Audit Analytics data with CRSP and Compustat

To merge Ideagen Audit Analytics data with CRSP and/or Compustat, use CIK codes, also known as COMPANY_KEYs or COMPANY_FKEYs. Ticker symbols can also be used as a secondary linking key but note that tickers can change over time and are less reliable for merging.

When linking to Compustat, note that fiscal year definitions may differ between Ideagen Audit Analytics and Compustat. Verify that you are aligning on the same fiscal period before merging.

Link Compustat to CRSP using the CCM linking tables (linking GVKEY to PERMNO/PERMCO using CSTLINK2 file).

For a detailed walkthrough, see the SSRN research paper on linking AA data to Compustat/CRSP: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2530639

Comparing fiscal year end between data providers

The opinions database has two ways of identifying fiscal year. At Ideagen Audit Analytics we use the fiscal year end "as disclosed" by the company, and we translate that into an "ideal" fiscal year. All fiscal year ends on or before January 15th are assigned to the previous fiscal year. For example, a fiscal year end of January 2, 2026, has an ideal fiscal year of 2025. Compustat assigns a year based on the "as disclosed" fiscal year end.

The best way of joining these two would be to classify AA data using the fiscal year end "as disclosed" into the Compustat format. For example, this means assigning FY 2020 for fiscal year ends "as disclosed" between 1 June 2020 and 31 May 2021.

Calculating Altman Z-Score

Altman Z-Score is constructed using main balance sheet and income statement variables that are available in Ideagen Audit Analytics. The Z-score is a simple weighted average of several accounting ratios. You can get related data items first, then calculate z-score.

The formula is:

Z-Score = A x 3.3 + B x 0.99 + C x 0.6 + D x 1.2 + E x 1.4

Where:

• A = EBIT/Total Assets
• B = Net Sales/Total Assets
• C = Market Value of Equity/Total Liabilities
• D = Working Capital/Total Assets
• E = Retained Earnings/Total Assets

Common interpretation of Z Score:

• > 3.0 - safe based on these financial figures only
• 2.7 to 2.99 - On Alert
• 1.8 to 2.7 - Good chances of going bankrupt within two years
• < 1.80 - Probability of Financial distress is very high

References:

Altman, E. (1968). Financial ratios, discriminant analysis and the prediction of corporate bankruptcy. The Journal of Finance, 23(4), 589–609.

Contacting the correct support team

It depends on the nature of the question.

Contact WRDS Support for:

• Account access and permissions
• SAS, Python, or R coding help
• WRDS platform technical issues
• Institutional subscription questions

Contact Ideagen Audit Analytics Support for:

• Data content, methodology, or coverage questions
• Help interpreting specific fields or records
• Discrepancies between WRDS data and the Ideagen Audit Analytics platform
• Documentation requests

Obtaining WRDS access

To obtain a User ID to access Ideagen Audit Analytics data on WRDS, submit a support request via the WRDS Support Requests form.

Additionally, each university has a WRDS representative (typically a professor or librarian) serving as a university contact that may be able to provide assistance.