A2 Flashcards
A quality control system consists of:
policies and procedures designed, implemented, and maintained to ensure that the firm complies with professional standards and appropriate legal and regulatory requirements and that any reports issued are appropriate in the circumstances
The nature and extent of a CPA firm’s quality controls depend on what factors?
size of the firm, the degree of operating autonomy allowed its personnel and its practice offices, the nature of its practice, its organization, and appropriate cost-benefit considerations
When assigning personnel to an engagement, the firm should consider the following factors in achieving a balance of engagement manpower requirements, personnel skills, and individual development and utilization:
- engagement size and complexity
- personnel availability
- special expertise required
- timing of the work to be performed
- continuity and periodic rotation of personnel
- opportunities for on the job training
Primary purpose of a second partner review is to ensure that:
The FS are in accordance with GAAP
Policies and procedures should be established for deciding whether to accept or continue a client in order to:
minimize the likelihood of association with a client whose management lacks integrity
The AICPA’s Statements on Quality Standards asset that professional development policies and procedures should be established by the firm in order to:
provide reasonable assurance that personnel will have the knowledge required to perform their work and progress within the firm
the six interrelated elements of quality control
- Human Resources,
- engagement/client acceptance and continuance,
- leadership responsibilities,
- performance of the engagement,
- monitoring, and
- ethical requirements (professional skepticism)
Statements of Quality Control Standards (SQCS) are issued:
to provide guidance with respect to audit quality control. These standards indicate that the nature and extent of a firm’s quality control policies and procedures are directly tied to its organizational structure.
By maintaining a comprehensive system of quality control in relation to its organizational structure, the CPA firm would:
provide reasonable assurance that its professional services conform to the SQCS (statements of quality control standards)
two Examples of a policies and procedures for human resources.
assigning personnel to engagements, maintaining personnel files containing documentation related to the evaluation of personnel
Why are policies and procedures for Human Resources important?
they provide reasonable assurance that the persons assigned will have the technical training and proficiency required to perform their work and progress within the firm
Procedures for reviewing audit documentation and engagement reports are established to ensure:
that the work performed meets the firm’s quality standards. relates to the control element of performance
Requiring personnel to adhere to the applicable independence rules related to the quality control element of:
ethical requirements
Example of a policy and procedure of the monitoring element of quality control:
peer review
Three requirements stated in PCAOB standards to be documented by the engagement quality reviewer
- identification of the documents reviewed by the engagement reviewer and others who assisted the reviewer
- the date on which the engagement quality reviewer provided concurring approval of issuance
- identification of the engagement quality reviewer and others who assisted the reviewer.
Audit documentation should include: (3)
- which members of the audit team performed and reviewed the audit work
- demonstrate compliance with the standards of fieldwork
- be sufficient to enable members of the audit team with supervisory responsibilities to understand the nature, timing, extent, and results of auditing procedures (the work performed and the evidence obtained)
The permanent (continuing) file of audit documentation includes:
Also, give examples:
items with continuing audit significance.
debt agreements, lease agreements, bond indenture agreements, flowchart of internal control
Examples of current audit documentation include: (3)
- attorney letters
- bank statements
- lead schedules
Audit documentation serves mainly to provide: (4)
- the principal support for the auditor’s report
- assistance in the planning, conduct, and supervision of the audit
- accountability
- useful information
The working trial balance generally contains a column for:
adjustments and reclassifications
Audit objectives and assertions are contained in:
the audit plan
Factors affecting the nature and extent of the audit documentation include: (6)
- the risk of material misstatement
- the extent to which judgement was required in performing the work and evaluating the results
- the nature of the specific auditing procedures
- the significance of the evidence obtained
- the nature and extent of any problems identified
- the need to document conclusions that may not be obvious
The quantity, type, and content of Audit Documentation vary with circumstances, but it should be sufficient to show:
that the accounting records agree or reconcile with the financial statements
An engagement letter summarizes:
the timing and details of the auditor’s planned field work