Patent ID: 8090460

Claim:
A method performed using a computerized system comprising a database and a processor executing software for supporting auditing of a process system, said process system comprising a plurality of process equipment and one or more protection devices for protecting the process system, said method comprising the steps of: storing equipment description information in the database, said equipment information describing said plurality of process equipment and also describing said one or more protection devices, wherein said equipment description information includes information identifying a source of each one of the protection devices, and wherein said equipment information includes information about changes that have been made to the process system; storing physical properties data in the database, said physical properties data pertaining to said process equipment and also pertaining to said one or more protection devices; automatically determining compliance of the one or more protection devices for protecting the process system by using the physical properties data pertaining to the equipment information to determine said compliance with respect to auditing requirements, wherein determining said compliance includes automatically evaluating impacts of said changes made in the process system; and automatically generating an auditing report indicating said compliance with respect to said auditing requirements for the process system, wherein said auditing report includes information about the impacts of said changes.