Chapter 4 Flashcards
Internal Control System
- Consists of the policies and procedures necessary to ensure operating, reporting, and compliance objectives
- 5 components of Internal Control
- Control Activities: Internal Control Procedures
Operating objectives
operations are effective and efficient safeguarding of assets against loss
Reporting Objectives
the reliability of a company’s reporting (accounting records)
Compliance objective
compliance with laws and regulations
5 components of internal control
- Control environment- company philosophy, personnel policies, overall integrity, and attitudes of everyone in the business
- Risk Assessment- identify, analyze, and manage business risks
- Information and Communication- gather and communicate information
- Monitoring- tracking potential and actual problems in the internal control system
- Control Activities- internal control procedures
Control Activities: Internal Control Procedures
b. Segregation of duties- assure that no one person prepares all the documents & records for an activity
c. Adequate Documents & Records- capture all relevant information about a transaction and assist in proper recording and classification. All documents should be properly controlled
d. Safeguarding assets and Records- protect assets and accounting records from loss, theft, unauthorized use, etc.
Cash
Cash on hand + Cash in Banks + Undeposited Checks
- cash appears on balance sheet & statement of cash flows
Cash Equivalents
short term, highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 3 months or less
Must be BOTH:
1. readily convertible into known amount of cash
2. so near maturity that interest rate changes wont affect their market value
(original maturity of 3 months or less)
Examples of Cash Equivalents
- Treasury Bill (T- Bill)
- Certificate Of Deposit (CD)
- Commercial Paper
- Money Market Fund
(never include stock as a cash equivalent)
Cash Management
necessary to ensure has neither too little nor too much cash on hand
Tools of effective cash management include:
- cash controls over receipts and disbursements
- Preparations of bank reconciliations
- use of petty cash fund
Control of Cash Receipts
- record when received and safeguard
- deposit receipts intact (deposits daily)
- separation of duties- different employees for each of the following: recording, custody, and authorization
Control of Cash Disbursements
- All major disbursements made by check
- pay one small, misc expenditures from petty cash
- prepare bank reconciliation (monthly)
Bank Reconciliation
reconciles timing differences and errors
Debit Memo
bank reduces your cash account, deduction of the bank statement