Marketing Data Audit Template
A comprehensive template for auditing marketing data quality, sources, and governance across all channels and systems. Use this to identify data gaps, redundancies, and compliance risks before presenting findings to leadership. Produces an executive summary, detailed audit findings, and a prioritized remediation roadmap.
How to Use This Template
- 1.**Step 1: Define Your Audit Scope and Timeline** Start by determining what you're auditing—enterprise-wide, a specific department, or particular channels (email, web, CRM). Identify the review period (last quarter, last year, etc.) and list all systems and data sources you'll examine. This clarity prevents scope creep and ensures stakeholders understand what's being evaluated. Fill in the header fields with your name, audit date, and scope, then list every system you'll review in the Data Inventory section. This becomes your audit checklist.
- 2.**Step 2: Inventory All Data Sources and Integrations** Create a comprehensive list of every data source your marketing team uses—CRM, marketing automation, analytics platforms, ad networks, customer data platforms, etc. For each source, document the system name, data type (behavioral, transactional, demographic), monthly volume, and current owner. Then map all data flows between systems (which tools sync with which) and note the frequency and last sync date. This inventory reveals redundancies, broken connections, and orphaned data that nobody owns. Use this section to identify immediate technical issues.
- 3.**Step 3: Assess Data Quality Against Standards** Define what "good" data looks like for your organization by establishing quality standards for completeness, accuracy, consistency, timeliness, uniqueness, and validity. Then measure your current state against those targets. Sample data from each source—pull 100-500 records and manually check them for missing fields, formatting errors, duplicates, and outdated information. Calculate percentages for each quality dimension. Document specific issues with severity levels (critical issues that break reporting, high issues that skew insights, medium issues that create extra work, low issues that are nice to fix). This is where you'll find the concrete problems to present to leadership.
- 4.**Step 4: Evaluate Governance and Compliance Gaps** Review whether your organization has documented data ownership, a data dictionary, access controls, retention policies, and privacy compliance measures (GDPR, CCPA, etc.). Check if your data handling meets regulatory requirements and internal security standards. Interview data owners, compliance officers, and IT to understand what governance exists on paper versus in practice. Document gaps honestly—missing documentation, unclear ownership, inadequate access controls, and compliance risks. This section justifies why remediation is necessary and urgent.
- 5.**Step 5: Build a Phased Remediation Roadmap** Prioritize issues into three phases: critical (fix in 4 weeks), high-priority (fix in 12 weeks), and medium-priority (fix in 20 weeks). For each action item, assign an owner, set start and end dates, and identify dependencies. Estimate the effort required (hours or days) and calculate total costs for personnel, tools, and consulting. Be realistic about resource constraints—if you don't have the team capacity, that's a cost to present. This roadmap shows leadership exactly what needs to happen, who's responsible, and how much it costs.
- 6.**Step 6: Present Findings and Secure Buy-In** Use the Executive Summary to open your presentation—lead with the data quality score, critical issues count, and top three priorities. Walk leadership through the key findings, then show the remediation roadmap with costs and timelines. Emphasize business impact: poor data quality leads to bad targeting, wasted ad spend, compliance risk, and missed revenue. Propose immediate actions for the next 30 days and success metrics to track progress. Get sign-offs from CMO, CDO, IT, and compliance to ensure accountability and resource commitment.
Template
# Marketing Data Audit Report
**Prepared by:** [YOUR NAME]
**Date:** [AUDIT DATE]
**Review Period:** [START DATE] – [END DATE]
**Audit Scope:** [ENTERPRISE / DEPARTMENT / SPECIFIC CHANNELS]
---
## Executive Summary
### Audit Overview
[BRIEF 2-3 SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF AUDIT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY]
### Key Findings
- **Data Quality Score:** [X]% (Target: [X]%)
- **Critical Issues Identified:** [NUMBER]
- **Data Sources Audited:** [NUMBER]
- **Systems Reviewed:** [LIST]
- **Estimated Remediation Cost:** $[AMOUNT]
- **Estimated Timeline to Full Compliance:** [X WEEKS/MONTHS]
### Top 3 Priorities
1. [HIGHEST PRIORITY ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED ACTION]
2. [SECOND PRIORITY ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED ACTION]
3. [THIRD PRIORITY ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED ACTION]
---
## Data Inventory & Sources
### Current Data Landscape
| Data Source | System/Tool | Data Type | Volume (Monthly) | Owner | Last Audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [SOURCE NAME] | [SYSTEM] | [BEHAVIORAL/TRANSACTIONAL/DEMOGRAPHIC] | [#] | [TEAM] | [DATE] |
| [SOURCE NAME] | [SYSTEM] | [BEHAVIORAL/TRANSACTIONAL/DEMOGRAPHIC] | [#] | [TEAM] | [DATE] |
| [SOURCE NAME] | [SYSTEM] | [BEHAVIORAL/TRANSACTIONAL/DEMOGRAPHIC] | [#] | [TEAM] | [DATE] |
| [SOURCE NAME] | [SYSTEM] | [BEHAVIORAL/TRANSACTIONAL/DEMOGRAPHIC] | [#] | [TEAM] | [DATE] |
### Data Flows & Integrations
| Source System | Destination System | Frequency | Last Sync | Status | Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [SYSTEM A] | [SYSTEM B] | [DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY] | [DATE/TIME] | [ACTIVE/BROKEN] | [NONE/DESCRIBE] |
| [SYSTEM A] | [SYSTEM B] | [DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY] | [DATE/TIME] | [ACTIVE/BROKEN] | [NONE/DESCRIBE] |
| [SYSTEM A] | [SYSTEM B] | [DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY] | [DATE/TIME] | [ACTIVE/BROKEN] | [NONE/DESCRIBE] |
---
## Data Quality Assessment
### Quality Metrics by Category
| Quality Dimension | Current State | Target State | Gap | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Completeness** | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% | [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] |
| **Accuracy** | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% | [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] |
| **Consistency** | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% | [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] |
| **Timeliness** | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% | [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] |
| **Uniqueness** | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% | [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] |
| **Validity** | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% | [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] |
### Data Quality Issues Identified
#### Issue #1: [ISSUE TITLE]
- **Severity:** [CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW]
- **Affected Systems:** [LIST]
- **Impact:** [DESCRIBE BUSINESS IMPACT]
- **Root Cause:** [EXPLAIN WHY THIS OCCURRED]
- **Affected Records:** [NUMBER / PERCENTAGE]
- **Recommended Action:** [SPECIFIC REMEDIATION STEP]
- **Estimated Effort:** [X HOURS/DAYS]
#### Issue #2: [ISSUE TITLE]
- **Severity:** [CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW]
- **Affected Systems:** [LIST]
- **Impact:** [DESCRIBE BUSINESS IMPACT]
- **Root Cause:** [EXPLAIN WHY THIS OCCURRED]
- **Affected Records:** [NUMBER / PERCENTAGE]
- **Recommended Action:** [SPECIFIC REMEDIATION STEP]
- **Estimated Effort:** [X HOURS/DAYS]
#### Issue #3: [ISSUE TITLE]
- **Severity:** [CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW]
- **Affected Systems:** [LIST]
- **Impact:** [DESCRIBE BUSINESS IMPACT]
- **Root Cause:** [EXPLAIN WHY THIS OCCURRED]
- **Affected Records:** [NUMBER / PERCENTAGE]
- **Recommended Action:** [SPECIFIC REMEDIATION STEP]
- **Estimated Effort:** [X HOURS/DAYS]
---
## Governance & Compliance Assessment
### Data Governance Maturity
| Governance Area | Current State | Requirement | Status | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Dictionary** | [NONE/PARTIAL/COMPLETE] | [REQUIREMENT] | [COMPLIANT/NON-COMPLIANT] | [OWNER] |
| **Data Ownership** | [NONE/PARTIAL/COMPLETE] | [REQUIREMENT] | [COMPLIANT/NON-COMPLIANT] | [OWNER] |
| **Access Controls** | [NONE/PARTIAL/COMPLETE] | [REQUIREMENT] | [COMPLIANT/NON-COMPLIANT] | [OWNER] |
| **Data Retention Policy** | [NONE/PARTIAL/COMPLETE] | [REQUIREMENT] | [COMPLIANT/NON-COMPLIANT] | [OWNER] |
| **Privacy Compliance (GDPR/CCPA)** | [NONE/PARTIAL/COMPLETE] | [REQUIREMENT] | [COMPLIANT/NON-COMPLIANT] | [OWNER] |
| **Documentation** | [NONE/PARTIAL/COMPLETE] | [REQUIREMENT] | [COMPLIANT/NON-COMPLIANT] | [OWNER] |
### Compliance Gaps
**GDPR/CCPA Compliance:**
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
**Data Security:**
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
**Documentation & Lineage:**
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
- [DESCRIBE GAP OR RISK]
---
## Remediation Roadmap
### Phase 1: Critical Issues (Weeks 1-4)
| Action Item | Owner | Start Date | End Date | Status | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
### Phase 2: High-Priority Issues (Weeks 5-12)
| Action Item | Owner | Start Date | End Date | Status | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
### Phase 3: Medium-Priority Issues (Weeks 13-20)
| Action Item | Owner | Start Date | End Date | Status | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
| [ACTION] | [OWNER] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [NOT STARTED/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE] | [NONE/LIST] |
---
## Resource & Budget Requirements
### Estimated Costs
| Category | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Personnel (Internal)** | $[AMOUNT] | [X] FTE for [X] weeks |
| **Tools/Software** | $[AMOUNT] | [TOOL NAMES] |
| **External Consulting** | $[AMOUNT] | [SCOPE] |
| **Training & Documentation** | $[AMOUNT] | [SCOPE] |
| **Total Estimated Cost** | **$[TOTAL]** | |
### Resource Allocation
- **Data Engineering:** [X] FTE
- **Analytics:** [X] FTE
- **Compliance/Legal:** [X] FTE
- **IT/Systems:** [X] FTE
- **Project Management:** [X] FTE
---
## Recommendations & Next Steps
### Strategic Recommendations
1. **[RECOMMENDATION #1]**
[Detailed explanation and rationale]
2. **[RECOMMENDATION #2]**
[Detailed explanation and rationale]
3. **[RECOMMENDATION #3]**
[Detailed explanation and rationale]
### Immediate Actions (Next 30 Days)
- [ ] [ACTION ITEM]
- [ ] [ACTION ITEM]
- [ ] [ACTION ITEM]
- [ ] [ACTION ITEM]
### Success Metrics
| Metric | Current | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| [METRIC NAME] | [X] | [X] | [DATE] |
| [METRIC NAME] | [X] | [X] | [DATE] |
| [METRIC NAME] | [X] | [X] | [DATE] |
---
## Appendix
### A. Audit Methodology
[DESCRIBE HOW YOU CONDUCTED THE AUDIT: TOOLS USED, DATA SAMPLES REVIEWED, INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED, ETC.]
### B. Detailed Findings by System
[SYSTEM NAME]: [SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, ISSUES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS]
### C. Data Quality Rules & Standards
[LIST SPECIFIC RULES AND STANDARDS APPLIED DURING AUDIT]
### D. Stakeholder Sign-Off
| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMO / VP Marketing | [NAME] | _____ | [DATE] |
| Chief Data Officer | [NAME] | _____ | [DATE] |
| IT Director | [NAME] | _____ | [DATE] |
| Compliance Officer | [NAME] | _____ | [DATE] |
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Get the Full AI Marketing Learning Path
Courses, workshops, frameworks, daily intelligence, and 6 proprietary tools — built for marketing leaders adopting AI.
Trusted by 10,000+ Directors and CMOs.