Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Controls, & Business Processes (17-27%) Flashcards

1
Q

What is ERM (Enterprise Risk Management)?

A

A process effected by an entity’s board of directors, management and other personnel, applied in strategy setting & across enterprise, designed to identify potential events that may affect entity, and manage risk to be within its risk appetite, to provide reasonable assurance regarding achievement of entity objectives

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2
Q

What is the purpose of ERM (Enterprise Risk Management)?

A

To provide an all-encompassing framework for managing risk throughout all activities of entity

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3
Q

What is COSO?

A

COSO = Committee of Sponsoring Organization

Joint initiative to combat fraud - is a framework for designing, implementing and evaluating internal control for organizations, providing enterprise risk management

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4
Q

What are the 5 components of COSO ERM Model?

A
GRIPS 
1 - Governance & culture
2 - Strategy & objective-setting
3 - Performance
4 - Review & revision
5 - Information, communication, & reporting
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5
Q

What are the 4 main objectives of COSO ERM Model?

A

ORCS
1 - STRATEGIC - high-level goals that align with and support the mission of entity
2 - OPERATIONS - effective and efficient use of entity’s resources
3 - REPORTING - reliable reporting
4 - COMPLIANCE - compliance with applicable laws and regulations

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6
Q

What are the limitations of the COSO ERM Model?

A

SIMILAR to that of the INHERENT LIMITATIONS of an INTERNAL CONTROL system

  • human judgement and human error
  • cost vs. benefits
  • simple errors can lead to big mistakes
  • circumvention of controls or processes due to collusion
  • management override
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7
Q

What are the 5 Core Principles within the Governance & Culture Component in the COSO ERM Model? (G in GRIPS)

A

1 - EXERCISES BOARD RISK OVERSIGHT - of strategy and carries out governance responsibilities to support management in achieving strategy and business objectives
2 - ESTABLISHES OPERATING PROCEDURES - establishes operating structures in pursuit of strategy and business objectives
3 - DEFINES DESIRED CULTURE - defines the desired behaviors that characterize entity’s desired culture
4 - DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO CORE VALUES - at all levels demonstrates a commitment to core values
5 - ATTRACTS, DEVELOPS and RETAINS CAPABLE INDIVIDUALS - committed to building human capital in alignment with strategy and business objectives

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8
Q

What are the 4 Core Principles within the Strategy & Objective-Setting Component in the COSO ERM Model? (S in GRIPS)

A

1 - ANALYZES BUSINESS CONTEXT - considers potential effects of business context on risk profile
2 - DEFINES RISK APPETITE - in the context of creating, preserving, and realizing value
3 - EVALUATES ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES - and potential impact on risk profile
4 - FORMULATES BUSINESS OBJECTIVES - considers risk while establishing business objectives at various levels that align and support strategy

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9
Q

What are the 5 Core Principles within the Performance Component in the COSO ERM Model? (P in GRIPS)

A

1 - IDENTIFIES RISK - that impacts performance of strategy and business objectives
2 - ASSESSES SEVERITY OF RISK
3 - PRIORITIZES RISKS - for a basis for selecting responses to risk
4 - IMPLEMENTS RISK RESPONSES - identifies and selects
5 - DEVELOPS PORTFOLIO VIEW - develops and evaluates portfolio view of risk

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10
Q

What are the 3 Core Principles within the Review & Revision Component in the COSO ERM Model? (R in GRIPS)

A

1 - ASSESSES SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES - that may substantially affect strategy and business objectives
2 - REVIEWS RISK and PERFORMANCE
3 - PURSUES IMPROVEMENT IN ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGMENT

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11
Q

What are the 3 Core Principles within the Information, Communication, and Reporting Component in the COSO ERM Model? (I in GRIPS)

A

1 - LEVERAGES INFORMATION SYSTEMS and TECHNOLOGY
2 - COMMUNICATES RISK INFORMATION - through channels to support
3 - REPORTS ON RISK, CULTURE and PERFORMANCE - at multiple levels and across the entity

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12
Q

What is Expected Value for the ERM (Enterprise Risk Model)?

A

Calculates the likelihood of losses and the amount of losses (most helpful metric)

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13
Q

What is COSO’s definition of Internal Control?

A

A PROCESS that is affected by all members of an organization that is designed to provide REASONABLE ASSURANCE regarding the achievement of OBJECTIVES related to OPERATIONS, REPORTING and COMPLIANCE

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14
Q

What are the 5 Components of Internal Control System?

A
CRIME -  
C - Control Activities (policies & procedures)
R - Risk Assessment
I - Information & Communication
M - Monitoring
E - Control Environment (tone at top)
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15
Q

What are the 3 main objectives of COSO?

A

ORC (similar to 4 main objectives of COSO ERM Model - ORCS)
1 - OPERATIONS objectives - pertaining to effectiveness and efficiency, including operational and financial performance goals, and safeguarding assets against loss

2 - REPORTING objectives - pertaining to internal control and external financial and non-financial reporting which may encompass reliability, timeliness, transparency, or other terms set by regulators, standards, or entity’s policies

3 - COMPLIANCE objectives - pertaining to adherence to laws and regulations applicable to entity

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16
Q

What are the 6 limitations of Internal Control identified by COSO?

A

Similar to limitations of COSO ERM Model (Similar to INHERENT LIMITATIONS of an INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM)

1 - human judgement can be faulty & subject to bias
2 - breakdowns & failures occur as long as humans involved, even from simple errors
3 - management override
4 - management or other personnel can get around controls through collusion
5 - external events simply beyond management’s control
6 - objectives for controls must be suitable as a precondition to internal controls - unrealistic or improbable objectives can be set that internal controls cant fully address

17
Q

What are the 3 Core Principles within the Control Activities (C) Component of the Internal Control System?

A

1 - SELECTS & DEVELOPS - RISK - ACCEPTABLE LEVELS - selects & develops control activities that contribute to mitigation of risks to the achievement of objectives to acceptable levels
2 - SELECTS & DEVELOPS - TECHNOLOGY - OBJECTIVES - selects & develops general control activities over technology to support the achievement of objectives
3 - DEPLOYS - POLICIES - deploys control activities through policies that establish what is expected and procedures that put policies into action

18
Q

What are the 4 Core Principles within the Risk Assessment (R) Component of the Internal Control System?

A

1 - SPECIFIES OBJECTIVES - ID & ASSESSMENT - specifies objectives with sufficient clarity to enable identification and assessment of risk relating to objectives
2 - IDENTIFIES RISKS - OBJECTIVES - ANALYZES - identifies risks to the achievement of its objectives across entity and analyzes risks as a basis for determining how risks should be managed
3 - CONSIDERS POTENTIAL FOR FRAUD - considers potential for fraud in assessing risks to the achievement of objectives
4 - IDENTIFIES & ASSESSES CHANGES - identifies and assesses changes that could significantly impact system of internal control

19
Q

What are the 3 Core Principles within the Information & Communication (I) Component of the Internal Control System?

A

1 - OBTAINS, GENERATES, USES - QUALITY INFO - obtains or generates and uses relevant, quality information to support the functioning of internal control
2 - COMMUNICATES WITH INTERNAL PARTIES - internally communicates information, including objectives and responsibilities for internal control, necessary to support the functioning of internal control
3 - COMMUNICATES WITH EXTERNAL PARTIES - communicates with external parties regarding matters affecting functioning of internal control

20
Q

What are the 2 Core Principles within the Monitoring (M) Component of the Internal Control System?

A

1 - SELECTS, DEVELOPS, PERFORMS EVALUATIONS - selects, develops, and performs ongoing and/or separate evaluations to ascertain whether components of internal control are present and functioning
2 - EVALUTE & COMMUNICATE DEFICIENCIES - evaluates and communicates internal control deficiencies in a timely manner to those parties responsible for taking corrective action, including senior management and the board of directors, as appropriate

21
Q

What are the 5 Core Principles within the Control Environment (E) Component of the Internal Control System?

A

1 - COMMITMENT - INTEGRITY & ETHICAL VALUES - demonstrates commitment to integrity and ethical values
2 - BOD - INDEPENDENCE - board of directors demonstrates independence from management and exercises oversight of development and performance of internal control
3 - ESTABLISHMENTS FOR PURSUIT OF OBJECTIVES - establishes structures, reporting lines, and appropriate authorities and responsibilities in pursuit of objectives
4 - RETAIN COMPETENT INDIVIDUALS - demonstrates commitment to attract, develop, and retain competent individuals in alignment with objectives
5 - HOLDS INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE - holds individuals accountable for their internal control responsibilities in pursuit of objectives

22
Q

What is SOX? Why was SOX passed?

A

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - Implements regulations, many regarding responsibilities of corporate management and external auditors

Passed because of large financial scandals

23
Q

What are some of the main corporate governance provisions of SOX?

A
  • public companies required to have audit committees
  • must be a financial expert on audit committee
  • at least 3 members on audit committee
  • each member on audit committee must be independent member of BOD
  • officer certifications (CEO/CFO) on all 10Q and 10K reports
  • rules regarding auditors (kinds of NAS can provide-can provide tax services if approved by audit committee)
  • PCAOB - created as result of SOX
24
Q

What is considered a Financial Expert for the Audit Committee requirement?

A
  • understanding of GAAP and financial statements
  • experience in preparing or auditing financial statements
  • experience with internal auditing controls
  • understanding of audit committee functions

if company does not have a ‘financial expert’, reason needs to be disclosed

25
Q

What are the functions of an accounting system?

A
  • track income and expenses
  • provide managerial reports, financial statements, reports prepared for external users, and provide adequate information in order to file tax returns
  • should address specific needs of the business
26
Q

What are the functions of a financial reporting system?

A
  • capture data about relevant transactions and events that occurred during the period
  • summarize and present this data in a format that’s understandable and useful to its users, usually for external users
27
Q

What is the information flow of the financial reporting system?

A
  • data is received about a transaction or event
  • transaction is recorded in a book of prime entry
  • summary totals from books of prime entry are posted to the general ledger accounts
  • ledger accounts summarized in a trial balance
  • trial balances are used to generate financial statements
28
Q

What are the categories of business process controls?

A
  • PREVENTIVE controls (prevent errors before occurs)
  • DETECTIVE controls (detect error after occurred)
  • CORRECTIVE controls (reverse effects of error)
  • FEEDBACK controls (results evaluated and adjusted)
  • GENERAL controls (apply to all parts & general in nature)
  • APPLICATION controls (specific parts)
  • AUTOMATED vs. MANUAL controls (automated-built into system, manual-rely on human actions)
29
Q

What are the 3 main types of tasks that should be separated for segregation of duties?

A

CAR -
1 - Custody (Access)
2 - Authorization (Execution)
3 - Record Keeping (Accounting)

or - AAA -
1 - Access (Custody)
2 - Authorization (Execution)
3 - Accounting (Record Keeping)

30
Q

What are some internal control objectives/procedures for receipt of cash?

A
  • cash/checks received, posted to remittance log (listing of all cash receipts)
  • transaction is also posted to cash receipts journal (all months cash receipts will be posted to that months receipts in general ledger)
  • different EEs should open mail, do accounting, prepare deposit of checks and reconcile bank
  • each cash receipt should be listed immediately when mail is open (bank lockbox system is best control)
  • ERs will bond EEs that handle cash receipts - insures against loss from illegal acts by EEs & reduces risk of dishonesty
  • prevention of lapping (cash received is stolen & shortage hidden) - different EEs should be receiving cash, posting payments received to AR ledger
31
Q

What are some internal control objectives/procedures for expenses/disbursements?

A
  • purchasing dept should make purchases using pre-numbered POs
  • receiving dept takes possession of deliveries
  • AP dept should handle accounting function & approve payments
  • only designated EEs should be able to make purchases for company
  • checks should require dual signatures
  • both receipts and disbursements bank recs should be prepared on a timely basis
  • all key documents should be pre-numbered and sequence should be accounted for as well
  • supporting documents should be stamped as cancelled as soon as they are paid
32
Q

What are some internal control objectives/procedures for payroll?

A
  • process consists of EE timecards or time sheets and then payroll is prepared and record in payroll journal, then checks given to EEs & months payroll is posted to general ledger (approval of time by supervisor is best control)
  • HR keeps records that contain pay rates and personnel files
  • treasury issues/signs/distributes checks
  • payroll dept calculates and does the record-keeping each period
33
Q

What are the 5 Trust Service Principles under Service Organization Controls (SOC)?

A
SACPIP
1 - SECURITY
- firewalls
- intrusion detection
- multi-factor authentication
2 - AVAILABILITY
- performance monitoring
- disaster recovery
- incident handling
3 - CONFIDENTIALITY
- encryption
- access controls
- firewalls
4 - PROCESSING INTEGRITY
- quality assurance
- process monitoring
5 - PRIVACY
- access control
- multi-factor authentication
- encryption
34
Q

What are the 2 levels of SOC reports specified by SSAE #18?

A

Type 1 - describes systems and whether design of specified controls meet relevant trust principles

Type 2 - also addresses operational effectiveness of specified controls over a period of time (usually 9-12 months)

35
Q

What are the 3 types of SOC reports?

A

SOC1 - Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICFR)
*for limited audience
SOC2 - Trust Services Criteria
*for limited audience
SOC3 - Trust Services Criteria for General Use
*for general public audience - less specific information

There are also specialized SOC reports for cybersecurity and supply chain