About this template
Access Audit & Periodic Access Review 2026/2027 is a professional template package for system owners, IT departments, information security officers, and small businesses that want to regularly verify that existing IT access rights are still justified. The package combines an Excel-based access register with a dashboard, audit logs, a role and access matrix, an action plan, a documented audit procedure (SOP), a separate user guide, and an English working reference.
What is included in the package
| Delivery | Content | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Access register & dashboard | Seven worksheets with 200 access entries, 200 audit lines, 160 actions, 100 role matrix lines, instructions, and a separate dummy example. | Excel (XLSX) |
| Audit log | Scope, access checks, deviations, risk assessment, system owner decisions, and signing. | Word (DOCX) + PDF |
| Role and access matrix | Definition of job roles, expected minimum access, system owners, privileges, and segregation of duties. | Word (DOCX) + PDF |
| Action and follow-up | Documentation of confirmed deviations, action owners, deadlines, actual changes, and technical verification. | Word (DOCX) + PDF |
| Access Audit – SOP | Internal procedure for risk-based audit frequency, evidence collection, decision-making, and follow-up. | Word (DOCX) + PDF |
| Detailed user guide | Step-by-step instructions, field explanations, common mistakes, data protection, archiving, risks, and primary sources. | Word (DOCX) + PDF |
| Access Recertification | English working reference for audits and decision-making, intended for use in Swedish operations. | Word (DOCX) + PDF |
Total of 13 files: six DOCX, six searchable A4-PDFs, and one XLSX. The ZIP package contains only delivery files – no scripts, screenshots, or QA files.
The Excel tool: access rights, audits, and actions
- Overview: number of access rights, high-risk items, unreviewed rights, overdue checks, open and overdue actions, and registered audit decisions.
- Access rights: account/access reference, system, owner, actual access, risk level, needs assessment, next internal audit, and duplicate checking of access IDs.
- Audits: document decisions to Keep, Restrict, Revoke, or Investigate, decision-maker, risk, evidence, and follow-up.
- Actions: link actions to access IDs, set responsibility, deadline, implementation, and verification. Status distinguishes between open, overdue, and verified as closed.
- Role matrix: 100 prepared rows for desired role-based access and responsible system owners.
- Instructions and examples: user support within the workbook itself as well as separate dummy examples that do not affect the live register.
Important: Excel does not fetch access rights from Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Google Workspace, VPN, or other systems. The dashboard is based solely on registered values. Technical changes should only be marked as verified after a qualified person has checked the actual system state. No email, SMS, automatic account blocking, or automatic access revocation is included.
How to use the access audit
- Determine which systems, account types, and business areas are included. Appoint system owners, technical executors, and auditors.
- Retrieve a current and dated list of assigned rights from the respective system. Save the supporting documentation securely.
- Register access rights in Excel and compare them with the role matrix, active employment/assignments, business requirements, and any specific risks.
- Specially audit privileged accounts, shared technical accounts, external access, and time-limited rights.
- Make and document authorized decisions: keep, restrict, revoke, or investigate. An empty decision is not an approval.
- Create an action ticket when rights need to be changed. Appoint a responsible person and set an internal deadline.
- Verify the actual system change with relevant documentation and decide on closure. Plan the next risk-based audit.
Who is this package for?
It is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, IT/HR managers, system owners, information security functions, associations, and organizations with multiple SaaS systems, cloud services, and internal accounts. It is particularly useful for organizations that already have onboarding and offboarding procedures but lack an independent, documented periodic check of existing access rights.
GDPR, information security, and legal limitations
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) guidelines on access control explain that organizations need to limit access based on need, document needs and risk analyses, and regularly follow up on user access rights. When processing personal data, for instance, the basic principles of GDPR and Article 32 on appropriate security can be relevant. For healthcare providers and other specifically regulated operations, additional obligations may apply.
Access and account registers can themselves be sensitive. Avoid passwords, API keys, personal identification numbers, and authentication secrets in the files. Store them under access control and apply relevant internal retention policies. For sensitive healthcare systems, security-sensitive operations, or complex personal data issues, a specialist should be consulted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference from IT onboarding and IT offboarding?
IT onboarding documents new assignments, and IT offboarding documents the termination of access. Access auditing reviews whether already assigned rights are still needed and correct.
Can I use Excel as an access matrix?
Yes. A separate role matrix makes it possible to document expected rights, but it does not contain an automatic technical comparison against the systems.
How many entries can it fit?
200 access entries, 200 audits, 160 actions, and 100 role matrix entries are prepared in version 1.0.
Does Excel automatically close unnecessary accounts?
No. Revocation must be performed by an authorized person in the actual system and then verified separately.
Do access rights have to be audited every quarter?
There is no universal rule for all organizations and systems. Decide on intervals based on risk and check specific obligations for your operation.
Does the template meet GDPR, NIS2, or ISO 27001?
No, not in itself. The documents can support broader security work but are not a certification or a complete solution for regulatory compliance.
What languages and formats are included?
Swedish main templates and Excel, as well as an English working reference for Swedish conditions. The Word files are editable, and the PDF files are searchable print/reference versions.
Official sources and related templates
- IMY – Access control.
- IMY – Access assignment and follow-up in healthcare.
- IT Onboarding & Access Requests.
- IT Offboarding & Access Termination.
Delivery: Digital ZIP download after the file has been processed in the store's Digital Products delivery app. No physical items. Source and technically verified October 12, 2026; no individual legal advice is included.
