A virtual location is a concept defined with the 2026 edition of ISO 19011. It refers to areas that have no physical address but need to be audited, such as cloud-based systems, remotely accessed platforms and video conferencing environments.
Why was it defined?
A significant part of management systems now operates in the digital environment. Document control runs in a cloud system, records in the ERP, communication on online platforms.
When the audit scope was defined only by physical addresses, this part of the system fell outside the audit. The virtual location concept closes that gap.
How is it included in the audit programme?
When the scope is defined in your annual audit programme, virtual locations need to be listed just like physical sites. For example:
- The cloud environment hosting the document management system
- The ERP or quality management software where records are kept
- Systems accessed by remote-working personnel
- Supplier portals
Practical effect
If your audit procedure and annual audit programme are structured only on the basis of physical addresses, they need to be updated. This is one of the most concrete document update items after ISO 19011:2026 and is addressed together with the remote audit method.
Related training: ISO 19011 training — bringing virtual locations into scope and updating the audit programme to the 2026 edition are practised hands-on.