Unit 3: Introduction to Auditing Flashcards
Audit
the comparison of reported information with its underlying real economic transactions.
Audit report
The result of the comparison of reported information with its underlying real economic transactions.
What is the core matter of auditing?
solve asymmetric information
Auditing
reduce the information asymmetry between investors and management by obliging listed companies to publish various report components that are reviewed by the auditor
or another definition
“The accumulation and evaluation of evidence about
information to determine and report on the degree of
correspondence between the information and established
criteria.
Do small companies need audit?
–> limited audit for SME (see page 25)
–> no audit for Micro firms (below 10 employee and if all shareholders agree)
What is an ordinary audit ?
audit for larger companies (see page 25)
-Public Companies (Listed at stock exchange, have bonds outstanding, contribute at least 20 per cent of the assets, the turnover to the consolidated accounts of a company)
-Public Interest Entities (PIE) ( Total assets > CHF 20 Mio. Revenue > CHF 40 Mio.Full-time positions > 250, Companies that are required to prepare
consolidated accounts. –> need to have 2 out of 3 criteria)
Do audits need to protect more investor form companies who are listed in the stock exchange?
If companies are listed on the stock exchange, meaning that they have raised
money from a large number of investors, they are particularly worth being
protected
–> Listed companies are therefore generally subject to the strictest regulations.
What is the most important task of audit?
to protect the interests of the investors
How is the auditor elected?
The auditor is elected by the general assembly, or what some call the “board of directors”.
–> The General Assembly to which the auditors address their reports
What is purpose of auditing?
The purpose of an audit is to enhance the degree of confidence of intended users in the financial statements.
Why is there a need for Auditing
- Ensures Accuracy and Reliability
- Enhances Stakeholder Confidence
- Supports Regulatory Compliance
- Improves Operational Efficiency
- Strengthens Corporate Governance
- Facilitates Effective Communication
Audit committee
special committee within the Board of Directors that deals in depth with issues of reporting, internal control and auditing
What are the two annual report ?
- Financial Statements
-Descriptive Reports
Financial Statements
- Balance Sheet
-Income Statement
-Cash Flow Statement
-Statement of
-Changes in Equity - Notes
Descriptive Reports
- Management Report / CEO Letter
-Corporate Governance
-Sustainability Report
-Segment Report
-Additional Reports
What are the two types of audit?
-internal and external audit
Internal Audit definition
-Integral part of the company –> by permanent employee of that company
-Audits in accordance with management guidelines (for internal problems)
External Audit definition
-Audits on contractual basis and is independent
-Coordinates with internal audit –> best possible coverage of existing risks
Internal audit : client
board of Directors (BoD)
External audit : client
General assembly (GA)
Internal audit : role
- independent function of the company
- reporting directly to the BoD
-assurance and consulting activity to add value and improve an organizations operations
external audit: role
-Statutory body of the company
-Service relationships
-audit of the financial statement
statutory audit
is an audit that must be conducted in accordance with relevant legislation
Internal audit : Operating model
insourced
–> use of resources outside of internal audit
External audit : Operating model
- Third party provider (i.e accounting / local / statutory body)
internal audit : objective
- Supporting the BoD to achive their objective
-protect organizational value by providing risk-based and objective assurance and advice
External audit : objective
- Ensure shareholder and creditor protection
-Increase added value and user as well as stakeholder confidence in the financial statement throught transparency and reliability
internal audit : professional standards
- IPPF
-specific regulatory or statutory requirement
external audit : professional standards
- Swiss standard on Auditing (SA- CH)
-International standards on auditing (ISA)
-Regulatory standards (FINMA)
internal audit: scope
- Entire control environment of the company
external audit : scope
- Focus on financially relevant processes and report –> standards and legal framework
internal audit: know how
Industry business
in deph company wide knowledge
external : know how
Industry accounting expertise
Financial reporting and accounting standard
Does medium size company choose a Big 4 company for their audit ?
Usually, smaller companies tend to opt for smaller audit firms and larger companies rather than larger audit firms
“Big 4”:
Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PWC