MODULE 6: INTERNAL CONTROL Flashcards
- The primary responsibility for establishing and maintaining an internal control rests with
a. The external auditors
b. The internal auditors
c. Management and those charged with governance
d. The controller or the treasurer
C. Management and those charged with governance
- The fundamental purpose of an internal control is to
a. Safeguard the resources of the organization
b. Provide reasonable assurance that the objectives of the organization are achieved
c. Encourage compliance with organization objectives
d. Ensure the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of information
B. Provide reasonable assurance that the objectives of the organization are achieved
- Which of the following internal control objectives would be most relevant to the audit?
a. Operational objective
b. Compliance objective
c. Financial reporting objective
d. Administrative control objective
c. Financial reporting objective
- An auditor would most likely be concerned with internal control policies and procedures that provide reasonable assurance about the
a. Efficiency of management’s decision-making process
b. Appropriate prices the entity should charge for its products
c. Methods of assigning production tasks to employees
d. Entity’s ability to process and summarize financial data
d. Entity’s ability to process and summarize financial data
- In an audit of financial statements, an auditor’s primary consideration regarding an internal control activity is whether the control
a. Reflects management’s philosophy and operating style
b. Affects management’s financial statements assertions
c. Provides adequate safeguards over access to assets
d. Enhances management’s decision-making processes
b. Affects management’s financial statements assertions
- Internal control can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving entity’s control objectives. One factor limiting the likelihood of achieving those objectives is that
a. The auditor’s primary responsibility is the detection of fraud
b. The board of directors is active and independent
c. The cost of internal control should not exceed its benefits
d. Management monitors internal control
c. The cost of internal control should not exceed its benefits
- Inherent limitations in an internal control must be considered in evaluating its effectiveness in preventing and detecting errors and fraud. Inherent limitations do not include
a. Misunderstanding of instructions, mistakes of judgment, personal carelessness, distraction,
or fatigue
b. Incompatible functions performed by the same person
c. Collusion among employees
d. Management override of certain policies or procedures
b. Incompatible functions performed by the same person
- Which of the following best describes an inherent limitation that should be recognized by an auditor when considering the potential effectiveness of an internal control structure?
a. Procedures whose effectiveness depends on segregation of duties can be circumvented by
collusion
b. The competence and integrity of client personnel provide an environment conducive to control and provides assurance that effective control will be achieved
c. Procedures designed to assure the execution and recording of transactions in accordance
with proper authorizations are effective against fraud perpetrated by management
d. The benefits expected to be derived from effective internal control usually do not exceed the cost of such control
a. Procedures whose effectiveness depends on segregation of duties can be circumvented by
collusion
- When considering the effectiveness of a system of internal accounting control, the auditor should recognize that inherent limitations do exist. Which of the following is an example of an inherent limitation in a system of internal accounting control?
a. The effectiveness of procedures depends on the segregation of employee duties
b. Procedures are designed to assure the execution and recording of transactions in accordance with management’s authorization
c. In the performance of most control procedures, there are possibilities of errors arising from mistakes in judgment
d. Procedures for handling large numbers of transactions are processed by electronic data
processing equipment
c. In the performance of most control procedures, there are possibilities of errors arising from mistakes in judgment
- An effective system of internal control
a. Cannot be circumvented by management
b. Can reduce the cost of an external audit
c. Can prevent collision among employees
d. Eliminates risks and potential loss to the organization
b. Can reduce the cost of an external audit
- The internal control cannot be designed to provide reasonable assurance that
a. Transactions are executed in accordance with management’s authorization
b. Fraud will be eliminated
c. Access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s authorization
d. The recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals
b. Fraud will be eliminated
- Which of the following statements about internal control is correct?
a. Properly maintained internal control reasonably ensures that collusion among employees cannot occur
b. The establishment and maintenance of internal control are important responsibilities of the internal auditor
c. Exceptionally strong internal control is enough for the auditor to eliminate substantive tests on a significant account balance
d. The cost-benefit relationship is a primary criterion that should be considered in designing
internal control
d. The cost-benefit relationship is a primary criterion that should be considered in designing
internal control
- Internal control, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide an entity with reasonable assurance about achieving the entity’s objectives. The likelihood of achievement is affected by limitations inherent to internal control. These limitations do not include
a. Collusion among employees
b. Inappropriate management override of internal control
c. Human failures
d. Incompatible functions performed by the same person
d. Incompatible functions performed by the same person
- Which of the following best describes the interrelated components of internal control?
a. Organizational structure, management, philosophy, and planning
b. Control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and communication systems, and monitoring
c. Risk assessment, backup facilities, responsibility accounting, and natural laws
d. Internal audit and management’s philosophy and operating style
b. Control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and communication systems, and monitoring
- Which of the following is not one of the components of an entity’s internal control?
a. Control risk
b. Control activities
c. Information and communication
d. The control environment
a. Control risk
- The overall attitude and awareness of an entity’s board of directors concerning the importance of the internal control usually is reflected in its
a. Computer-based controls
b. Systems of segregation of duties
c. Control environment
d. Safeguards over access to assets
c. Control environment
- When obtaining an understanding of an entity’s control environment, an auditor should
concentrate on the substance of management’s policies and procedures rather than form
because
a. The auditor may believe that the policies and procedures are inappropriate for that
particular entity
b. The board of directors may not be aware of management’s attitude toward the control
environment
c. Management may establish appropriate policies and procedures but not act on them
d. The policies and procedures may be so ineffective that the auditor may assess control risks at a high level
c. Management may establish appropriate policies and procedures but not act on them
- Basic to a proper control environment are the quality and integrity of personnel who must
perform the prescribed procedures. Which is not a factor in providing for competent personnel?
a. Segregation of duties
b. Hiring practices
c. Training programs
d. Performance evaluations
a. Segregation of duties
- In evaluating the design of the entity’s internal control environment, the auditor considers the following elements and how they have been incorporated into the entity’s processes. Such elements would include all of the following except
a. Integrity and ethical values
b. Commitment to competence
c. Organizational structure
d. Information and communication systems
d. Information and communication systems
- It is important for the auditor to consider the competence of the audit client’s employees,
because their competence bears directly and importantly upon the
a. Cost-benefit relationship of internal control
b. Achievement of the objectives of internal control
c. Comparison of recorded accountability with assets
d. Timing of the tests to be performed
b. Achievement of the objectives of internal control
- Which of the following components of an entity’s internal control structure includes the
development of employee promotion and training policies?
a. Control activities
b. Control environment
c. Information and communication
d. Quality control system
b. Control environment
- A proper segregation of duties requires
a. An individual authorizing a transaction records it
b. An individual authorizing a transaction maintain a custody of the asset that resulted from the transaction
c. An individual maintaining custody of an asset be entitled to access the accounting records
for the assets
d. An individual recording a transaction not compare the accounting record of the asset with the asset itself
d. An individual recording a transaction not compare the accounting record of the asset with the asset itself
- The single most effective control procedure established to avoid allowing any person to be in a position to perpetrate and the conceal errors or fraud is
a. The separation of the functional responsibilities custodianship, record keeping, operations, and authorization
b. Require each employee to take a vacation each year
c. Established an internal auditing department
d. Require the bonding of personnel in positions that necessities handling of cash and other universally desirable valuables.
a. The separation of the functional responsibilities custodianship, record keeping, operations, and authorization
- Which of the following would contribute most to the safeguarding of assets?
a. Access to computer facilities and records is limited to authorization personnel
b. Training programs are conducted to develop competence of newly hire personnel
c. Control and subsidiary accounts are reconciled on a regularly scheduled basis
d. Blank stock of all purchase orders and sales invoices are prenumbered
a. Access to computer facilities and records is limited to authorization personnel
- Which if the following statements best describes the entity’s rish assessment process?
a. Entity’s process of identifying business risks relevant to financial reporting objectives and
deciding about actions to address those risks.
b. Entity’s assessment of audit risks affecting the financial statements
c. Entity’s process of evaluating the risks of misstatements due to fraud
d. Entity’s assessment of risks that internal control may fail to detect misstatements affecting the financial statements
a. Entity’s process of identifying business risks relevant to financial reporting objectives and
deciding about actions to address those risks.