In the context of an internal audit observation, the cause component should be added to explain why the subsidiary has thousands of client contracts on paper instead of in the required electronic system. The cause helps identify the root reason behind the non-compliance with the organization's rules of record management.
In this case, the cause could be the lack of sufficient assistants to scan the contracts into the system. Including the cause in the observation provides clarity on the underlying issues and helps in formulating effective recommendations to address the problem.
References:
* The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Standard 2410.A1 - Criteria for Communicating: "Final communication of engagement results must, where appropriate, contain the internal auditors' overall opinion and/or conclusions."
* IIA Practice Guide on "Root Cause Analysis"