GLIDE Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Separation of duties

A control that divides a transaction among different people so no single person can initiate, approve, record, and reconcile the same item without detection.

Quorum

The minimum number of members who must be present for a governing body to transact valid business; decisions made without it are invalid and must be minuted as such.

Conflict of interest recusal

The practice where a member with a personal or financial interest in a matter discloses it, withdraws from discussion and voting, and has the abstention recorded.

Delegated authority schedule

A written document specifying which roles may approve which commitments up to stated financial limits, and what reporting accompanies each delegation.

Residual risk

The level of risk remaining after existing controls are applied. It is compared against the approved risk appetite to decide whether further treatment is required.

Risk treatment options

The four permissible responses to a risk: avoid the activity, reduce it through controls, transfer it by contract or insurance, or accept it with documented authority.

Three lines model

An assurance structure where operations own and manage risk, a risk and compliance function provides framework and challenge, and internal audit gives independent assurance.

Key risk indicator

A measurable metric tracked on a fixed schedule with a defined threshold, chosen because movement in it signals rising exposure before losses occur.

Control testing evidence

Documentation showing a control operated as designed on specific dates, including the sample selected, the result, the tester, and any exception raised.

Budget variance

The difference between actual and budgeted amounts, calculated as actual minus budget, with the percentage found by dividing that difference by the budget figure.

Break-even volume

The number of units or services required for revenue to equal total cost, computed as fixed costs divided by price minus variable cost per unit.

Restricted funds

Money a funder or donor has limited to a stated purpose or period. It cannot lawfully be used to cover deficits in unrestricted activities.

Operating reserve ratio

Unrestricted reserves divided by average monthly operating expense, expressing how many months of operations could continue without new income.

Capitalization threshold

The cost level above which a purchase is recorded as a capital asset and depreciated rather than charged to the operating budget in the current period.

Zero-based budgeting

A budgeting method where every line is rebuilt and justified from a stated service level each cycle, rather than adjusted from the prior year's base.

Vacancy rate

The number of unfilled approved positions divided by total approved positions, indicating recruiting pressure and potential service capacity shortfall.

Turnover rate

Separations during a period divided by average headcount, reported separately for voluntary and involuntary departures because the two have different causes.

Span of control

The number of direct reports assigned to one manager. Wider spans require more standardized processes; narrow spans add management layers and cost.

Competency model

A framework listing the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for each role, each linked to a defined method of assessment and development.

Cost per hire

Total recruiting expenditure, including advertising, agency fees, and recruiter time, divided by the number of hires made in the same period.

Succession readiness rating

An assessment of whether an identified successor could fill a critical role now, within one year, or later, paired with the development actions needed.

Little's Law

A relationship stating average work in process equals arrival rate multiplied by average time in the system, used to size queues and staffing.

Capacity utilization

Actual output divided by maximum sustainable capacity. High sustained utilization lengthens waiting times sharply as spare capacity disappears.

Service level target

A measurable commitment such as the percentage of requests resolved within a stated number of days, together with the method used to measure it.

Cycle time

The total elapsed time from a request entering the process to its completion, including waiting and handoffs, not only the hands-on processing time.

Root cause analysis

A structured investigation using tools such as repeated questioning or cause-and-effect diagrams to identify the underlying reason a problem occurred, not just its symptom.

Recovery time objective

The maximum acceptable downtime for a critical service after disruption, which determines the continuity arrangements and testing frequency required.

Data owner

The accountable role for a data set, deciding who may access it, what quality standards apply, and how issues are resolved and escalated.

Data quality dimensions

The defined attributes against which data is tested, typically completeness, accuracy, timeliness, consistency, uniqueness, and validity, each with a threshold.

Least privilege

The access principle that each user receives only the permissions needed for their current duties, reviewed periodically and removed promptly when roles change.

Recovery point objective

The maximum tolerable data loss measured in time before a disruption, which sets how frequently backups or replication must occur.

Change control

A required sequence for altering a system: documented request, impact and risk assessment, approval, test evidence, and a rollback plan before release.