FINAL EXAM Flashcards
An independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. Also, helps organization by evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. Considered a management control which measures the effectiveness or other controls.
Internal Auditing
Evaluates performance as measured by management objectives. Focuses on efficiency, effectiveness, and economy of operations.
Operational Auditing
Requirements for Internal Auditors relating to independence?
Are employees of the organization and thus cannot have perceived (independence in appearance) independence of external auditor. However, internal auditors must maintain an impartial, objective attitude and avoid conditions that threaten carrying out work in an unbiased manner. They must be independent of the activities that they are assigned to audit. Ideally, internal audit director should report directly to the audit committee.
Requirements for External Auditors relating to independence?
must be independent in fact and in appearance. External auditor is an independent contractor to the organization being auditing. Must avoid relationships with organizations – financial interest, employment relationships, etc. which appear to cause a conflict of interest.
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: Have sufficient knowledge of fraud to be able to identify indicators that fraud may have been committed. This knowledge includes the need to know the characteristics of fraud, the techniques used to commit fraud, and the types of frauds associated with the activities audited.
Internal Auditors
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: Internal auditors are not expected to have knowledge equivalent to that of a person whose primary responsibility is detecting and investigating fraud
Internal Auditors
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: Be alert to opportunities, such as control weaknesses, that could allow fraud. If significant control weaknesses are detected, additional tests conducted by internal auditors should include test directed toward identification of other indicators of fraud. Some examples of indicators are unauthorized transactions, override of controls, unexplained pricing exceptions, and unusually large product losses
Internal Auditors
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: The auditor has a responsibility to plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatements, whether caused by error or fraud.
External Auditor
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: Assess risk of material misstatement that may be caused by fraud or other activities.
External Auditor
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: Exercise professional skepticism and due care.
External Auditor
Whose responsibility in regards to detecting fraud: Auditing standards (SAS 99) require audit staff to hold a brainstorming session to assess possibility of fraud.
External Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: Reviewing and evaluating all types of internal controls. Internal auditors are concerned with all controls, regardless of whether they are financial, compliance, or operational.
Internal Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: Evaluating the organization’s risk assessment processes.
Internal Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: Making recommendations regarding the organization’s system of governance.
Internal Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: Performing other assurance and consulting services for the benefit of management.
Internal Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: To perform an audit of the organization’s financial statements and to express an opinion on those statements.
External Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: To obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatements.
External Auditor
Audit Objective of internal or external auditor: For a public company, they may also be engaged to examine the management’s assertion about the reliability of internal controls over financial reporting and express an opinion on their effectiveness.
External Auditor
What are the 3 levels of audits involved under GAS - Govt Auditing Standards - Audits?
(1) GAAS (2) GAAS + GAS (3) GAAS + GAS + Specific Requirements
1 of 3 Levels of audit under GAS audits - What must be reported on for a GAAS level audit?
Must report on Financial Statements
1 of 3 Levels of audit under GAS audits - What must be reported on for a GAAS + GAS level audit?
Must report on Financial Statements, Compliance with various laws and regulations, and entity’s Internal Control
1 of 3 Levels of audit under GAS audits - What must be reported on for a GAAS + GAS + Specific Requirements level audit?
Must report on Financial Statements, Compliance with various laws and regulations, entity’s Internal Control, and Specific Requirements (Single Audit Act)
Term: Purpose - grant by grant audits abandoned and replaced by 1 audit of each governmental unit receiving federal assistance.
Single Audit Act
Coverage of the Single Audit Act?
Applies to all governmental units and non-profit organizations that receive any federal assistance, although the reporting requirements of the Act apply generally to governments receiving $500,000 or more within a fiscal year.
What are the 3 separate reports required by the Single Audit Act
(1) Report on the general purpose financial statements required by GAAS (2) Reports on compliance with laws and regulations and on internal control required by GAS (3) Report on Major Program Compliance with Specific Requirements. *Four reports if illegal acts are detected
Internal auditing can best be described as:
A control function.
The independence of the internal auditing department will most likely be assured if it
Audit committee of the board of directors.
When performing an operational audit, the purpose of a preliminary survey is to:
Identify areas that should be included in the audit pt program.
Operational auditing is primarily oriented toward:
Future improvements to accomplish the goals of management.
The organization that administers the Certified Internal Auditor program is the:
The Institute of Internal Auditors.
3 requirements to become a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)?
(1) Hold a Bachelors degree (2) 2-year work experience in internal auditing or its equivalent (3) Complete 2 day exam
What Statute required public companies to establish and maintain effective internal control?
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977
Definition: Process of obtaining information about an entire population or universe by examining only part of it.
Sampling
Purpose: To estimate characteristic of group without complete examination of all items constituting the group.
Sampling