The Steps in an Audit (7)
What is Internal Control & what are the objectives?
(ACE)
An entity’s systems & policies designed to enable management to meet its objecteds related to ACE. We want reasonable assurance that I/C are achieving certain objectives:
What are the 5 elements of Internal Control?
(CRIME)
Control Environment
(CHOPPER)
Control Environment - sets the tone of an organization, influencing the control consciousness of its people. It is the foundation of all other components of internal control, providing discipline & structure.
Includes the following (CHOPPER):
Risk Assesment
(AIIO)
Risk Assesment - Identification, analysis, & mgmt of risks relevant to the preparation of FS that are fairly presented in conformity w/ GAAP. Risk Assessment includes risks that may affect an entity’s ability to properly record, process, summarize, & report financial data.
Risk Assessment procedures includes:
Control Activities
(PIPS)
(ARCC-S)
Control Activities - Policies & procedures that help insure that management directives are carried out.
Information & Communication
The component of I/C that makes certain that mgmt’s instructions are communicated & that there is a flow of information in all directions within the entity to enhance the efficiency & effectiveness of operations & ensure the transperency & fairness of financial reporting.
Refers to the I.D, retention, & transfer of info in a timely manner allowing personnel to perform their responsibilities.
Monitoring
The ongoing evaluation of internal controls to make certain that they are effective, functioning as intended, & that they remain relevant.
Understanding the Internal Control
(UPDATED)
6 Steps
Understanding the Internal Control Structure
Step 1 - Obtain an Understanding the DESIGN of Internal Ctrl
(AIIO)
An auditor obtains an understanding of the Entity & its Environment, and Internal Control through by performing Risk Assessment Procedures which includes: (AIIO)
NOTE: The auditor is only trying to determine what controls have been Implemented, and is NOT determining whether the controls have been operating effectively. The latter is only necessary in a FS audit IF the auditor plans to rely on the controls.
Understanding the Internal Control Structure
Step 2 - Document the understanding of I/C
(FIND)
The auditor is REQUIRED to document its understanding of the entity, environment, & internal control.
The 4 common techniques of documenting the understanding of I/C: (FIND)
*Not really tested, just for understanding material***
Understanding the Internal Control Structure
Step 3 - Assess RMM (Control Risk)
Intend to Rely?
No = RMM (High) > Substantive Approach Audit
Yes = RMM (Low) > *Combined Approach Audit
*Combined Approach - Test of Controls & Substantive
Understanding the Internal Control Structure
Step 4 - Perform Test of Controls (RIIO)
Test of Controls - to test the effectiveness of the I/C design & operation of a control. The auditor should test the operating effectiveness of such controls at least once in every 3 years.
4 Procedures for Testing Controls (RIIO)
Understanding the Internal Control Structure
Step 6 - Document Conclusions
What 4 things must the Auditor document?
The auditor is REQUIRED to communicate significant deficiencies & material weaknesses to mgmt & those charged w/ governance. The basis for risk assessment must ALWAYS be documented.
Auditor needs to document:
Inherent Limitations in an Internal Control Environment
(COCO)
U-PERCV
U-PERCV is management’s assertions which are representations made by management in the FS being audited.
**U-PERCV is basically what management is saying that they have in their FS regarding the numbers.
OPERATING CYCLES
Revenue Cycle
Spending Cycle
Personnel & Payroll Cycle
Investing & Financing Cycle
Production & Conversion Cycle
The main point regarding these cycles is the segregation of duties regarding (ARCC) of the business functions & employees.
Revenue Cycle (Sales Revenue/ A.R. / Cash Receipts) - A set of procedures that are followed by a business entity in generating sales, earning revenues, billing customers, and collecting & depositing cash receipts.
Spending Cycle (Purchases / A.P. / Cash Disbursement) - Deals with ordering, receiving, & paying for goods & services including purchases of inventory on account & cash disbursements.
Personnel & Payroll Cycle - Deals with the hiring/termination of employees, paying, & administering change in pay rates.
Investing & Financial Cycle - Deals with transactions involving aquisition & disposal of assets other than inventory & transactions with creditors & shareholders.
Production & Conversion Cycle - Deals with manufacturing operations & converting raw materials into finished goods.
Revenue Cycle - Specific Employees
Sales Clerk
Credit Manager
Warehouse Clerk
Shipping Clerk
Billing Clerk
Receivables Clerk
General Ledger Bookkeeper
Mail Room Clerk / Receptionist
Cashier
Cash Receipts Clerk
Receiving Clerk
Treasurer
Controller / Internal Auditor
Sales Clerk - accepts orders/PO from customers & prepapares a written sales order (Recording)
Credit Manager - approves customer credit on orders (Authorization)
Warehouse Clerk - holds goods in inventory awaiting requests for shipment (Custody)
Shipping Clerk - Removes items from inventory to ship to customers (Custody)
Billing Clerk - prepares sales invoices to send to customer (Recording)
Receivables Clerk - posts sales & collections to individual customer accounts based on sales invoices & remittances [posts A/R balance] (Recording)
General Ledger Bookkeeper - posts journal entries for sales & collections (Recording)
Mail Room Clerk / Receptionist - opens mail, prepapres remittance listing of checks, directs to appropriate places (Custody)
Cashier - receives checks, prepares deposit slip, & deposits funds at the bank (Custody)
Cash Receipts Clerk - receives remittance listing & posts to cash receipts journal [posts credit to A/R balance] (Recording)
Receiving Clerk - receives all goods that are being returned and returns them to inventory (Custody)
Treasurer - approves credit memos for returns & write-offs of uncollectible accounts (Authorization)
Controller / Internal Auditor - prepares bank reconciliations & analyses of past-due accounts (Comparison)
Revenue Cycle - Key Documents
Sales Order
Bill of Lading
Sales Invoice
Sales Register (Journal)
Subsidiary Receivables Ledger
Remittance Advice
Remittance Listing
Cash Receipts Journal
Deposit Slip
Bank Reconciliation
Sales Order - the list of the goods ordered by the customer (created by the sales clerk from a customer’s PO) along with the prices to be charged. Usually pre-numbered.
Bill of Lading - the shipping document that is signed by the carrier (usually a trucker) accepting goods from the shipping clerk (prepared by the shipping dept).
Sales Invoice - bill prepared that is sent to the customer after shipment. Before doing so, billing clerk should compare sales order & bill of lading.
Sales Register (Journal) - a book in which sales invoice information is posted.
Subsidiary Receivables Ledger - lists of outstanding A/R with a separate record for each customer.
Remittance Advice - the document included in an envelope with the check to indicate the purpose of the check.
Remittance Listing - a summary of the money received that day. Prepared by the employee first receiving the cash, usually the mail room clerk.
Cash Receipts Journal - a book in which remittance listings are posted.
Deposit Slip - the document signed or stamped by the bank to acknowledge receipt/deposit of checks.
Bank Reconciliation - comparison of book to physical.
Revenue Cycle
U-PERCV
Spending Cycle - Specific Employees
Purchasing Manager
Purchasing Clerk
Receiving Clerk
Payables Clerk
Payables Manager
Treasurer
Shipping Department
Purchasing Manager - approves purchase requests before they are processed & negotiates terms with vendors (A)
Purchasing Clerk - places orders with vendors [sends PO to vendors] (R)
Receiving Clerk - receives delivery of goods from vendors (C)
Payables Clerk - prepares payment voucher & gives to treasurer for approval which is the basis for authorizing the issuance of a check to the vendor after verifying the accuracy of the vendor invoice & supporing documents (A)
Payables Manager - oversees the Posting of vouchers to appropriate purchase records [posts to A/P accts] (R)
Treasurer - Signs check for payment & mails it (C)
Shipping Department - sends goods back to vendors when goods are nonconforming (C)
Spending Cycle - Key Documents
Purchase Requisition
Purchase Order
Receiving Report
Purchase (vendor) Invoice
Invoice Register
Payment Voucher
Purchase Journal
Debit Memo
Purchase Requisition - the internal request by the department in need for goods to be ordered by the purchasing department
Purchase Order - the external form mailed to the vendor to request goods to be delivered to the company
Receiving Report - the document prepared in the receiving department signed by the carrier to acknowledge the goods that have been delivered to the company
Purchase (vendor) Invoice - basically its the sales invoice
Invoice Register - a book listing invoices received from vendors
Payment Voucher - document prepared by payables clerk to request that a check be issued for payment to a vendor. Passed on to the treasurer for signature.
Purchase Journal/Voucher Register - a book listing all of the payment vouchers generated by the company
Debit Memo - a document sent to the accounting department to indicate that nonfoncoming goods have been returned
Personnel/Payroll Cycle - Specific Employees (4)
Personnel cycle of a business is normally segregated between these different departments:
Investing & Financial Cycle
U-PERCV
Investing & Financial Cycle - deals w/ transactions involving aquisition & disposal of assets other than inventory & transactions w/ creditors/shareholders.