A2 - Quality Control, Engagement Acceptance , Planning, and Internal Control Flashcards
What are the six interrelated elements of quality control (HELPME)?
H - Human Resources
E - Engagement/client acceptance and continuance
L - Leadership Responsibilities
P - Performance of engagement
M - Monitoring
E - Ethical Requirements
What does the supervisor primarily perform to ensure the staff properly completed the audit work?
Reviewing the working papers as it allows a supervisor to understand the work performed and the evidence obtained.
At the completion of the audit, who owns the audit workpapers?
The CPA firm that performed the audit
How long does a registered public accounting firm has to retain the audit workpapers to comply with SOX-2002?
Audit workpapers have to be retained for 7 years.
How many days a nonissuer’s auditor has to assemble the final audit file before report release date?
60 days.
How many days an issuer auditor has to assemble the final audit file before report release date?
45 days
What actions should not be taken after the documentation completion date and before the report release date?
The auditor is not allowed to make any deletions to audit documentation before the end of the specified retention period
What influences the form and extent of the auditor’s documentation of an entity?
Complexity and size of an entity
What circumstances would permit an independent auditor to accept an engagement after the close of the fiscal year?
An independent auditor should accept an engagement after the close of the fiscal year as long as he/she can address any limitations resulting from accepting the engagement at that time (e.g., auditor may not observe end-of-year inventory count, but may be able to perform acceptable alternative procedures).
What elements does the auditor should assess as part of the pre-acceptance phase of the engagement (RISIG)?
R - Reporting - Firm’s ability to meet reporting deadlines
I - Independence
S - Staff - Firm’s ability to staff the engagement
I - Integrity of Client Management
G - Group Audit
What factors would impact the auditor’s determination of the auditability of an entity’s financial statements?
Inadequate financial records may preclude the auditor from obtaining sufficient appropriate audit evidence.
What are elements of the audit planning process that are agreed before implementation of the audit strategy with the client?
The timing for receipt of documentation or observation of inventory counts is scheduled with client before determining the audit strategy.
What other content is included in an engagement letter (SITA COMADRE KFA)?
S - scope of audit (reference to legislation, regulations, GAAS, or ethical requirements)
I - Information about subsequent events
T - Timely disclosure of relevant info related to F/S
A - Audit planning and performance (composition of audit team)
C - Communications about results of audit engagement
O - Other auditors’ involvement (e.g., specialists, internal auditors, or other staff of the entity (technology)
M - Management’s receipt of engagement letter (management’s signature)
A - Arrangements with predecessor auditor
D - Obligation to provide audit Documentation to other parties
R - Restrictions on the auditor’s liability (when no prohibited)
E - Expectation to receive written representation from management
K - Key audit matters communication
F - Fees and billing arrangements
A - Additional services provided
What is the required content in the engagement letter (RORRIS)?
R - Reference to the expected form and content of any report, and that these may be subject to change.
O - Objective and scope of the audit
R - Responsibilities of the auditor (including communicating deficiencies to those charged with governance)
R - Responsibility of management
I - Identification of the applicable financial reporting framework.
S - State that there is unavoidable risk that some material misstatements may not be detected.
Who is responsible to initiate the communication between the successor and predecessor auditors?
The successor auditor has to initiate the communication with the predecessor auditor with the client’s permission.
What should the successor auditor do if the predecessor auditor refuses to provide prior-year documentation?
successor auditor should review the risk assessment of the opening balances of the financial statements.
If an audit engagement is changed to a review due to a scope limitation, what does the auditor should not include in the report?
- Should not include reference to the original engagement, and the audit procedures performed
- No scope limitation should be referenced
What should the accountant consider before changing from an audit engagement to a review/compilation?
- The reasons for the request, especially if there are scope limitations
- The effort required to complete the engagement
- The estimated additional cost to complete the engagement.
What are acceptable reasons for changes from an audit engagement to a compilation/review?
- Change in client requirements (e.g., creditors no longer require audited F/S)
- Misunderstanding as to the nature of the service to be rendered.
What are unacceptable reasons for changes from an audit engagement to a compilation/review?
- The engagement will uncover errors or fraud
- The client refuses to provide a signed representation letter.
What are the elements that support the nature, extent, and timing of supervision during the planning phase of the audit?
- The size and complexity of the entity
- The nature of the work assigned
- The assessed risk of material misstatement
- The qualifications of the assistants
What are the resources needed to help develop the audit strategy?
- The involvement of other auditors, specialists, and the client’s internal auditors
- The assignment of staff to specific audit areas, including the assignment of more experienced staff to higher risk areas.
- The timing of testing (interim vs. year-end) and audit team meetings
- The budget hours to assign to specific audit areas.
- The extent, location, and timing of audit work.
Factors that determine the focus of the audit team’s effort include?
- Preliminary evaluations of materiality, audit risk, and internal control
- Material locations and account balances
- Areas with higher risk of material misstatement, including disclosure.
- Significant accounting changes.
- Significant business and industry developments, including any legal and regulatory matters of which the company is aware.
- Management’s commitment to the design and operation of internal control.
What are the financial statement assertions (COVERUP)?
C - Completeness
O - Cutoff
V - Valuation, allocation, and accuracy
E - Existence and Occurrence
R - Rights and Obligations
UP - Understandability of Presentation and Classification
What would the auditor do if there is a decrease in the amount of misstatements that the auditor can tolerate?
The auditor can modify planned procedures closer to the balance sheet date (timing modification to address risk).
When would the independent auditor (CPA) does not rely on the internal auditor’s work?
An independent auditor may not share responsibility with the internal auditor for assertions related to material financial statement amounts with a high risk of material misstatement or a high risk of subjectivity (e.g., evaluation of significant accounting estimates and materiality of misstatements). The external auditor remains solely responsible for the report on the financial statements.
How does the external auditor evaluates the objectivity of the internal auditor?
the external CPA auditor considers:
1. information obtained from previous experience
2. Discussion with management
3. external quality reviews (if performed)
4. professional internal auditing standards (such as those developed by the Institute of Internal Auditors)
5. Determine the organizational level to which the internal auditor reports.
6. Policies that prohibit the internal auditor to audit areas they were recently assigned.
How does the external auditor evaluates the competence of the internal auditor?
The external CPA auditor evaluates:
1. Education
2. Professional certifications
3. experience
4. Performance evaluation
5. the audit plan
6. audit procedures
7. quality of internal audit documentation
When would the auditor refer to the work of the specialist in the audit report?
If, as a result of the work performed by the specialist, the auditor decides to express a modified opinion or add explanatory language, the auditor may refer to the specialist in the report and should indicate that the reference to the specialist does not reduce the auditor’s responsibility for the audit opinion
When is the auditor not referencing the specialist in the report?
when the auditor express an unmodified opinion, no reference should be made to the work of the specialist.
What are materiality levels?
Materiality levels are generally considered in terms of smallest level of misstatement that could be material to any one of the financial statements.
What is the formula to compute the overall materiality?
Overall materiality = Applicable benchmark (materiality) * Applicable Percentage
What is the formula to compute the performance materiality?
Performance materiality = overall benchmark * Applicable Percentage
Why are analytical procedures required to be performed during planning?
Analytical procedures during planning consist of a review of data aggregated at a high level, such as comparing financial statements to budgeted or anticipated results. Involve comparison of recorded amounts to independent expectations developed by the auditor (e.g., internal monthly or quarterly reports).
What is the purpose of applying analytical procedures during planning?
The purpose is to assist in panning the nature, timing, and extent of auditing procedures that will be used to obtain audit evidence for specific account balances or classes of transactions.
What is the focus of the analytical procedures used in planning the audit?
- Enhancing the auditor’s understanding of the client’s business and the transactions and events that have occurred since the last audit date
- Identifying areas that may represent specific risks relevant to the audit.
What are examples of nonfinancial data considered in performing analytical procedures during planning?
- Number of employees
- Square footage of selling space
- Volume of goods produced
- Relationship with related financial data
What should the auditor do during planning when considering the results of analytical procedures?
Identify the risk of material misstatement due to error or fraud.
What are the three categories of entity objectives?
- Reliability of financial reporting
- Effectiveness and efficiency of operations
- Compliance with laws and regulations
What is the purpose of the control environment component from the COSO internal control framework?
It is the tone at the top. It includes the processes, structures, and standards, that provide the foundation for an entity to establish a system of internal controls.
How does the auditor interpret “substance over form” in a control environment?
The auditor focus must be on the substance of the control environment rather than the form, because appropriate procedures may be established but not enforced.
What is the primary criterion considered when designing internal controls?
The cost-benefit relationship. The cost of an entity’s internal control should not exceed the benefits that are expected to be derived.
What are the 5 components of the COSO internal control framework (CRIME)?
C - Control environment
R - Risk Assessment
I - Information and Communication
M - Monitoring
E - Existent Control Activities
What are the control activities that are relevant to an audit (PAID TIPS)?
P - Prenumbering of documents
A - Authorization of Transactions
I - Independent checks to maintain asset accountability
D - Documentation
T - Timely and appropriate financial performance reviews (comparison of budget vs. actual)
I - Information Processing Controls
P - Physical controls for safeguarding assets
S - Segregation of duties
What is the purpose of the prenumbering of documents from the control activities?
P - Prenumbering of documents
A
I
D
T
I
P
S
Prenumbering helps to assure that
1. All transactions are recorded (completeness)
2. No transactions are recorded more than once (existence)
What is the purpose of authorization of transactions from the control activities?
P
A - Authorization of transactions
I
D
T
I
P
S
Authorization of transactions should occur before commitment of resources.
What is the purpose of independent checks to maintain asset accountability from the control activities?
P
A
I - Independent checks to maintain asset accountability
D
T
I
P
S
Independent checks involve the verification of work previously performed by others. Examples include:
1. Review of bank reconciliations
2. Comparison of subsidiary records to control accounts.
3. Comparison of physical counts of inventory to perpetual records