International Standards On Auditing Flashcards
Discuss the auditors responsibilities for identifying on non compliance with laws and regulations?
- The auditor when planning and performing audit procedures and is evaluating reporting should recognize that non compliance by the entity may materially affect the financial statement
- Auditor is not and cannot not be held responsible for preventing non compliance. The annual audit may act as a deterrent
- Auditor should plan and perform the audit with attitude of. Professional skepticism recognizing that audit may reveal instances of non compliance
- Auditor should obtain general understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the entity and industry and how the entity is comply with framework
- Auditor should perform procedures to help identify instances of non compliance generally recognized as having an effect on the determination of the material amounts and disclosure in the financial statements
- In the absence of other sufficient appropriate audit evidence the auditor should obtain written presentation from management that all known actual or possible non compliance have been disclosed
- When non compliance is discovered the auditor should:
- obtain an understanding of the nature of the act
- obtain sufficient audit evidence and document the findings
- discuss the matter with management
- if necessary consult with legal advisers - If the auditor cannot obtain sufficient information regarding the suspected non compliance the auditor should consider the implications for other aspects of the audit particularly reliability of management representations and the effect of the lack of evidence on the audit opinion
Discuss the auditors responsibilities for reporting on non compliance with laws and regulations?
- To management
- if no audit committee, report to board immediately
- if suspects a member of senior staff may be involved, report to directors - To members of the entity
- if has material effect on the financial statements and not properly reflect, auditor should issue a qualified or adverse opinion in the audit report - To regulatory and enforcement authorities
- would not report directly to regulatory bodies before reporting such non compliance to third party
- if meet reportable irregularity the auditor need to consider his reporting responsibilities in accordance with the act
What is the auditors general responsibility regarding to prevention and detection of fraud?
- Maintain professional skepticism while performing the audit
- Hold discussions among audit team and how and where the entity’s financial statements are susceptible to fraud
- Make enquiries of management regarding their assessment of fraud and risk
- Make enquiries of management and others within the entity to determine whether they have knowledge of any actual or suspected or alleged fraud affecting the entity
- Enquire of those charged with governance of the entity how they exercise oversight of management fraud assessment of fraud risks and the internal controls that management established to mitigate these risks
- Obtain information directly from the internal auditors on their knowledge of actual, suspected or alleged fraud affecting the entity
- Discuss risk of fraud with internal auditors
- Evaluate whether unusual or unexpected analytical relationships point to material misstatement due to fraud
- Evaluate the presence of any fraud risk factors in the entity
- Consider whether other information obtained by the auditor indicate material misstatement due to fraud
- Treat fraud risks as significant risks
- Adapt the nature, timing and extent of planned further audit procedures at the assertion level to limit audit risk to an acceptable level
Discuss the quality control at firm level
- Leadership responsibility within the firm
- cultural of quality in the performance of engagement - Ethical requirement
- comply with requirement of integrity and professional competence and due care and professional behavior and quality in terms of audit - Acceptance and continuance of clients
- evaluate the client’s integrity - Requirements with regards to engagements performance on audit were not adhered to
- apply policies to ensure direction, supervision and review of work on audit as well as to ensure consultation regarding problem clients and situations take place
Discuss quality control at audit level
- Leadership responsibility
- Ethical requirements
- Client evaluation at audit level
- Assignment of engagement team
- Engagement performance - direction, supervision and review
- Monitoring
What does ISQC 1 ‘quality control at firm level’ outlines?
Quality control for firms that perform audits and reviews of historical financial information and other assurance and related service engagements
What is the purpose and responsibility of ISQC1-quality control at firm level?
The purpose of the standard is to establish basic principles and procedures regarding a firm’s responsibilities for its system of quality control for audit and reviews of historical financial information and other assurance and related service engagements.
What is the objective of the firm in terms of quality control?
To establish a system of quality control to provide it with reasonable assurance that the firm and its personnel comply with the professional standards and regulatory and legal requirements, and ensuring that reports issued by the firm are appropriate in circumstances.
What are the elements of a firm’s system of quality control?
- Leadership responsibilities for quality control within the firm
- Ethical requirements
- Acceptance and continuance of client relationship
- Human resources
- Engagement performance
- Monitoring
What are some of the quality control policies for leadership responsibilities for quality control within the firm?
- Establish policies and procedures designed to promote internal culture of recognizing quality is essential in performing engagement
- The person assigned the operational responsibility for the firm’s quality control system shall have sufficient and appropriate experience and ability and the necessary authority to assume responsibility
- Work should be performed in accordance with professional standards and regulatory and legal requirements
- Report issued should be appropriate in the circumstances
What are some quality control procedures for leadership responsibilities within the firm?
- The assignment of management responsibilities for the engagement so that commercial considerations do not override the quality of work performed
- The firm’s policies and procedures addressing performance evaluation, compensation and promotion with regards to its personnel are designed to demonstrate the firm’s overriding commitment to quality
- The firm devotes sufficient resources for the development, documentation and support of its quality control policies and procedures
- The person assigned the operational responsibility for the firm’s system of quality control should have the necessary experience and ability to develop appropriate policies and procedures and the authority to implement them
What are some quality control policy for ethical requirement at firm level?
The firm shall establish policies and procedures to ensure all its personnel comply with the ethical requirements of:
- integrity
- objectivity
- professional competence and due care
- confidentiality
- professional behavior
- independence
What will the ethical requirement policies and procedures for quality control at firm level do?
They shall enable the firm to:
- communicate its independence requirements to its personnel and other subject thereto
- identify and evaluate circumstances and relationships that create threats to independence and to take appropriate actions to eliminate or reduce the threat to an acceptable level
What procedures of quality control can be implemented at firm level for ethical requirements?
- Communicate the independence requirements to its personnel
- Engagement partner(s) to provide the firm with information about client engagement to enable the firm to evaluate independence requirements
- Personnel should notify the firm of circumstances or relationships that may create threat of independence
- The firm should be notified immediately of breaches of any of its independence requirements
- Personnel should at least annually, provide written confirmation to the firm of compliance with its policies and procedures concerning independence (independence declaration)
- Criteria should be set to reduce familiarity threats to an acceptable level when the same personnel are used in an assurance engagement over a long period
- The engagement partner and review partner of listed entities should rotate after a specific period of time (IFAC = 7 years)
What are some policies for a firms quality control for acceptance and continuance of client relationship and engagement?
Acceptance and continuance of client relationship shall only take place after the firm has considered:
- If it is competent to perform the engagement and has the capabilities, time and resources to do so
- Whether it can comply with the ethical requirements
- The integrity of the client and has found no information that would lead it to conclude that the client lacks integrity
What procedures can be followed for quality control at firm level relating to acceptance and continuance of client relationship and engagements?
- Communication with existing or previous provider of professional accounting services
- Enquiries of firm personnel or third parties such as bankers, legal advisers, etc
- Background searches
- Documentation of all relevant facts, considerations and actions
What human resources policies should be implemented to ensure quality control at firm level?
- The firm’s personnel shall have the necessary skill, competence and commitment to ethical principles to perform engagement in accordance with professional standards and with regulatory and legal requirements and to enable the firm to issue reports that are appropriate in the circumstances
- Personnel performance evaluation, compensation and promotion give recognition to development, competence and commitment to ethical principles
- Assignment of staff to the audit:
- the engagement partner and personnel assigned to the audit should have the capabilities, competence and time to perform a proper audit
What should the human resources policies address with regards to quality control at firm level?
- Recruitment
- Performance evaluation
- Skills
- Competence
- Career development
- Promotion
- Compensation
- Identifying of personnel needs
What procedures needs to be implemented to ensure that the human resources adheres to quality control at firm level?
- Capabilities and competence are developed through a variety of methods including the following:
- professional education
- continuous professional development, including training
- work experience
- mentoring by more experienced staff
- independence education - Personnel should be aware of the assessment criteria and counseling should be provided to personnel on performance, progress and career development
- Systems should exist to monitor the workload and availability of engagement partners to ensure they have sufficient time to discharge their responsibility
- only staff with necessary experience and expertise required for the specific assignment should be assigned to the audit
What are some policies and procedures that can be implemented to ensure quality control within firm level for engagement performance?
The engagement shall be performed in accordance with professional standards and with regulatory and legal requirements
The firm should provide consistency in the quality of engagement performance through:
1. Guidance on performing audit
- firm manuals, software tools and standardized documentations
- industry and subject matter specific guidance material
2. Supervision
- tracking the progress of engagement
- considering the competence, skills and work of individual members
- significant findings and issues
- identifying matters for consideration or consultation by more experienced members of engagement team
3. Review
- more experienced engagement team members should review the work and findings of less experienced staff members
What policies and procedures can be implement to enhance the quality control at firm level with regards to consultation?
The firm shall establish policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that:
- appropriate consultation takes place on difficult or contentious matters
- sufficient resources are available to enable appropriate consultation
- all consultations and conclusions therefrom are documented
- conclusions resulting from consultation are implemented
What policies and procedures are used to ensure quality control within firm level with regards to differences of opinion?
Policies and procedures should exist to resolve differences between engagement team members, between those consulted and where appropriate between the engagement partner and the engagement quality reviewer
What policy is in place to ensure that engagement quality control review is adhered to at the firm level?
There should be a quality control review performed for all engagements of:
- Financial statements of listed entities
- Other significant audit and review engagement that fall within a firm’s review criteria
What procedures are there to ensure engagement quality control review is adhered to at firm level?
- Criteria should be set for when a quality review is required for non-listed and public sector entities
- The nature, timing and extent of a quality review should be defined
- The quality control review should be a person with the requisite technical qualifications and experience
- No audit report should be issued before the required quality control review prices has been completed
What would quality control review process normally include?
- Discussion with the engagement partner
- A review of the financial statements or other subject matter
- A review of selected engagement documentation relating to significant judgements made and conclusions reached by the engagement team
- A review of conclusions reached in formulating the report and consideration of whether the report is appropriate
What are some policies and procedures relating to engagement documentation to ensure quality control within firm level?
- Engagement file - should be assembled on a timely basis after the audit (max 60 days after the audit report)
- Confidentiality and safe custody of engagement documentation - all engagement documentation should be kept in such a manner they the confidentiality and safe custody thereof are maintained
- Retention - all engagement documentation should be kept for the period requested by law or regulation (min 5 years)
What monitoring policy should be established to ensure that quality control is met at firm level?
The firm shall establish policies and procedures to monitor compliance with the quality control systems and procedures to ensure it is relevant, adequate and operating effectively.
This can be done by inspection on a cyclical basis of completed engagement got each engagement partner.
What does ISA 200 deals with?
Quality control for audits of historical financial information (quality control at audit level)
What is the purpose and responsibility of ISA 200 - quality control at audit level?
To establish basic principles and procedures that will assist the auditor with his or her responsibility with regards to quality control for individual audit
What is the objective of ISA 200 - quality control at audit level?
To implement quality control procedures at the engagement level to provide reasonable assurance that the audit complies with professional standard and with applicable legal and regulatory requirements and that the reports issued is appropriate in the circumstances
What are some requirement for quality controls on audit?
- Leadership responsibilities for quality control
- Ethical requirements
- Acceptance and continuance of audit engagements
- Assignment of the engagement team
- Engagement performance
- Monitoring
What policy is set to ensure leadership responsibilities for quality of audit at audit level?
The engagement partner shall take responsibility for the overall quality of the audit
What procedures are implemented to ensure that leadership responsibilities for quality of audit at audit level?
The engagement partner should demonstrate through his or her actions and through appropriate communication to the engagement team the importance of:
- performing work that complies with professional standards and with applicable regulatory and legal requirements
- comply with the firm’s quality control policies and procedures as applicable
- issuing an auditor’s report that is appropriate in the circumstances
- the engagement team’s ability to raise concerns without fear of reprisals
- the fact that quality is essential in performing audit engagement
What policy is set to ensure that ethical requirement is met for quality control at audit level?
Throughout the audit the engagement partner shall remain alert, through closer observation and enquiry for evidence of non compliance with the relevant ethical requirements by member of engagement team of:
- integrity
- objectivity
- professional competence and due care
- professional behavior
- independence
What procedures are there to ensure that ethical requirements are met at the audit level?
Engagement partner should:
- enquire as to and observe compliance with ethical requirements of the engagement team during the audit
- identify and consider taking action to eliminate threats to independence concerning the audit engagement
- form a conclusion on compliance with the independence requirement for the audit
What is the policy concerning acceptance and continuance if audit engagement for quality control at audit level?
The engagement partner shall be satisfied that appropriate procedures regarding the acceptance and continuance of client relationship and specific audit engagement have been followed and that conclusions reached in this regard are appropriate and have been documented.
What are some procedures relating to acceptance and continuance of client relationship for quality control at audit level?
- The integrity of the principle owners, key management and those in charged with governance of the entity
- Whether the engagement team is competent to perform the audit engagement and has the necessary time and resources
- Whether the firm and the engagement team can comply with the ethical requirements
What policy is in place to ensure quality control at audit level for assignment of engagement team?
The engagement partner shall be satisfied that the engagement team collectively possess the appropriate skill and abilities to perform the audit according to professional standards and applicable legal and regulatory requirements and issue report that is appropriate in the circumstances
List the procedures to ensure quality control within audit level for assignment of engagement team.
The engagement team as a whole should have:
- an understanding of, and practical experiences with, audit engagements of a similar nature and complexity through appropriate training and participation
- an understanding of professional standards and regulatory and legal requirements
- technical knowledge and expertise, including knowledge of relevant information technology and of specialized areas of accounting and auditing
- knowledge of relevant industries in which the client operates
- the ability to apply professional judgement
- an understanding of the firm’s quality control policies and procedures
What policies are there to ensure quality control within audit level for engagement performance?
- Direction, supervision and performance
- engagement partner take responsibility for direction, supervision and performance of the engagement team in compliance with professional standards and applicable legal and regulatory requirements - Consultation
- engagement partner shall ensure that there is appropriate consultation between the engagement team and others at appropriate levels within the firm - Difference in opinion
- the engagement partner should ensure all difference of opinion are resolved - Engagement quality review and other significant entities should meet the firm’s criteria
What policies and procedures are there to ensure quality control within audit level for monitoring?
The engagement partner shall ensure compliance with quality control in the audit engagement and that the firm’s requirements for quality control are adhered to
What does ISA 240 set out?
The auditor’s responsibility relating to fraud in an audit of financial statements
What constitutes a fraud?
An intentional act by one or more members of management, those charged with governance, employees of third parties. Examples:
- use of deception to obtain an unjust or illegal advantage
- intentional fraudulent financial reporting to deceive users
- misstatements resulting from misappropriation of an entity’s assets
- deliberate overriding of internal control by management
What is an error?
Unintentional errors in the financial statements.
Examples:
- mathematical or clerical errors
- oversight or misinterpretation of facts
- misapplication of accounting principles relating to measurement, recognition, classification, presentation or disclosure
- incorrect accounting estimate
What are the two types of intentional misstatements relevant to the auditor?
- Misstatements resulting from fraudulent financial reporting
- Misstatements resulting form the misappropriation of assets
How can management and those charged with governance are responsible for the prevention and detection of fraud?
By implementing and maintaining an efficient system of accounting and internal controls.
To place strong emphasis on fraud prevention and fraud deterrence. This involves a commitment to creating a culture of honesty and ethical behavior.
Audit committees can assist management in achieving these objectives
What is the responsibilities of the auditor for the prevention and detection of fraud?
Auditor is responsible for obtaining reasonable assurance that the financial statement taken as a whole are free from material misstatements whether due to fraud or error
ISA 315 requires a discussion among the engagement team on how and where the entity’ financial statement might be susceptible to material misstatements due to fraud, including how fraud might occur. What is the risk assessment procedures for this?
When performing risk assessment procedures in order to obtain information snout the entity and its environment, including the entity’s internal control, the auditor shall make inquires to management regarding the following:
- management’s assessment of the risk that the financial statement may be misstated due to fraud
- management’s process for identifying and responding to risk of fraud in the entity
- management’s communication to those charged with governance regarding the process for identifying and responding to the risk of fraud in the entity
- management’s communication to employees regarding its view on business practices and ethical behavior
- any knowledge of actual, suspected or alleged fraud affecting the entity
What should the auditors also do with regards to risk assessment procedures?
- Obtain an understanding of how those charged with governance exercise oversight over management’s processes for identifying and responding to fraud risk
- Inquire from those charged with governance whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud affecting the entity
- Evaluate whether unusual or unexpected relationships that’ve been identified in performing analytical procedures may indicate risks of material misstatements due to fraud
- Evaluate whether other information obtained by the auditors indicate risk of materials misstatement due to fraud
- Evaluate whether information obtained from risk assessment procedures indicates that one or more risk factors are present
What are the responses to the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud?
In determining overall response, the auditor shall:
- assign more experienced people to the audit team
- evaluate whether the selection and application of accounting treatment may be indicative of fraudulent financial reporting resulting from management’s efforts to manage earnings
- incorporate an element of unpredictability in the selection of the nature, timing and extent of audit procedures to be performed.
The auditors should perform specific procedures regarding the risk relating to management’s override of controls, what are they?
- Test the appropriateness of journal entries recorded in the general ledger and other adjustments made in the preparation of the financial statement
- Review accounting estimates for biases
- Consider the business rationale for transactions which are outside the normal course of business for the entity
The auditor plans and performs an audit with an attitude of professional skepticism so as to identify and properly evaluate the following…
- Factors which increases the inherent and or control risk of material misstatement
- Circumstances which make the auditor suspect that the financial statements are materially misstated
- Conditions observed or evidence obtained which brings the reliability of management representations into question
Auditors should obtain written representation that management…
- Has disclosed to the auditor all facts relating to any fraud or possible fraud known to management that may have affected the entity
- Believes the effects of those uncorrected financial statements misstatements aggregated by the auditor during the audit are immaterial both individual and in the aggregate to the financial statements taken as a whole.
What actions should the auditor take when audit procedures indicate the possible existence of fraud and errors?
- Consider the effect of the fraud or error on the financial statements
- If the effect is material, additional or amended procedures need to be performed to obtain more evidence of the fraud or error.
- Adjust the nature, timing and extent of the the substantive procedures accordingly
- If the adjusted procedures indicate the existence of fraud or error, the auditor should:
- discuss the matter with management or preferably audit committee
- consider whether the matter is properly disclosed in the financial statements
- consider the effect on the audit report - Consider the effect of the fraud or errors on:
- other aspects of the audit
- the reliability of management’s representation
What are the additional or amended procedures depend on to be performed by the auditor when audit procedures indicates possible fraud or error?
- The type of fraud or error indicated
- The likelihood of occurrence
- The materiality thereof on the financial statements
The auditor should, as soon as is practically possible, report his or her findings to management and consider the need to report such matters to those charged with governance when…
- The existence of fraud suspected, even if the effect on the financial statements is not material
- Fraud and material misstatements are detected
Matters to be considered to be communicated to those charged with governance with regards to fraud and error include…
- Question regarding management competence and integrity
- Fraud involving management
- Other fraud that results in a material misstatements of the financial statements
- Material misstatement arising from error
- Misstatements that indicate significant weaknesses in internal control, including the design or operation of the entity’s financial reporting process
- Misstatements that may cause future financial state to to be materially misstated
- Creative accounting issues
What would reporting in respect of fraud entail?
- The reporting thereof to a higher level of authority than the person involved
- If senior management is involved:
- report it to a higher authority, e.g. Audit committee or other non exec directors
- if there is no higher level, if the report is being ignored or if the auditor is not sure to whom to report the matter, legal advice needs to be obtained
Is reporting to third parties of fraud allowed?
No, as it is prohibited by the auditors ethical and legal responsibilities of confidentiality. However in certain circumstances, the auditor may have a statutory duty to report fraud and material error to the supervisory authorities. If the action can be considered as reportable irregularity the auditor must report it to IRBA