Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fau PDF
Fau PDF
Ju ec
O
ne em
OpenTuition 20 be
20 r 2
Free resources for accountancy students Ex 01
am 9 -
s
CAT
Foundations in Audit
(FAU)
Syllabus 3
2. Professional ethics 15
7. Audit sampling 51
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 2
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 3
SYLLABUS
1. Overall aim
To develop knowledge and understanding of the principles of external audit and the audit process
and technical proficiency in the skills used for auditing financial statements.
2. Main capabilities
On successful completion of this exam, candidates should be able to:
A Explain the purpose and scope of an audit and its regulatory framework
C Identify the principles of internal control and describe and evaluate the features of information
systems
D Identify and describe audit evidence and audit procedures required to meet the objectives of an
audit and apply International Standards on Auditing (ISAs)
E Explain how the audit is completed and reflected in the different types of auditor’s reports.
3. Approach to examining
The syllabus is assessed by a two hour computer-based examination (CBE). Questions will assess all
parts of the syllabus.
Marks
Section A – 15 two mark objective test questions 30
Section B – Eight questions:
Two 15 mark questions 30
Two 10 mark questions 20
Four 5 mark question 20
70
100
4. Accounting standards
The accounting knowledge that is assumed for FAU is the same as that examined in FA1 and FA2.
Therefore, candidates studying for FAU should refer to the IFRS® Standards listed under FA1 and FA2.
Candidates will also be expected to be familiar with FFA.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 4
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 5
Chapter 1
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND AUDIT
FRAMEWORK
Shareholders (also known as members) are the principals, and directors are the agents of the
shareholders. Agents should act in the best interests of the principals so, therefore, directors should
act in the best interest of shareholders. However, this can introduce conflicts of interest between the
two parties. Shareholders want large profits but the directors might want large salaries, generous
pensions and bonuses, first class travel and expensive cars.
Companies are required to produce annual financial statements (accounts) for presentation to their
shareholders. These should show how their company has got on during the year. The directors are
responsible for producing the financial accounts and there is obviously a temptation for them not to
report results accurately or fairly. For example, directors might try to overstate profits so as to keep
their jobs or to qualify for bonuses.
Therefore, auditors are appointed by the members of the company to scrutinise independently the
financial statements and to report to the members on whether the financial statements show a ‘true
and fair’ view of the company’s affairs and its results. Auditors’ conclusions are published with the
financial statements in the auditor’s report.
In addition to the terms ‘agent’ and ‘principal’, ‘stewardship’ is sometimes used to describe the duty
that directors have to look after the interests of the shareholders.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 6
3.2 Disadvantages
๏ Cost: auditors charge for their work.
๏ Time and disruption. Auditors have to ask employees questions and have to find documents.
This distracts employees from their day-to-day tasks.
๏ A feeling of not being trusted. Auditors are always looking for independent evidence and
cannot rely on employees' or management's word alone. This can make staff feel that they are
not trusted.
4. Accounting records
Accounting records consist of:
๏ General (also called nominal) ledger. This has accounts for assets (such as non-current assets,
receivables), liabilities (such as amounts owed to suppliers and loans), income (such as sales)
and expenses (such as rent, wages and electricity).
๏ Cash book. This shows cash receipts and payments.
๏ Receivables ledger. This shows how much each credit customer owes. This ledger is sometimes
known as the debtors’ ledger or sales ledger. The total of these amounts should agree with the
receivables control account that is part of the general ledger.
๏ Payables ledger. This shows how much is owed to each supplier. This is sometimes known as the
creditors’ ledger or purchase ledger. The total of these amounts should agree with the payables
control account that is part of the general ledger.
๏ Non-current asset register. This shows details of each non-current asset, such as purchase date,
cost, depreciation rate, location, date last physically verified and depreciation to date. The total
of the non-current asset register should agree to the relevant accounts in the general ledger.
The non-current asset register might sometimes still be referred to as the fixed asset register.
๏ Inventory records. Lists, schedules or cards with inventory details such as cost, location number
of items, deliveries and receipts.
The exact nature of the accounting records vary from business to business. For example, a small
grocery shop will not have a receivables ledger because all sales are for cash. An architect’s practice
will not have inventory records because they sell services, not goods. Some very small businesses
keep little more than a cash book on a day-to-day basis and fuller accounting records are produced at
year end.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 7
5. Financial statements
Auditors report on a company’s financial statements. These will have been produced from the
financial records. Financial statements consist of:
Together with the documents above, companies also produce directors’ reports, chairman’s
statements, graphs, forecasts and public relations material and include it all in their annual report. The
annual report will also include the auditors’ report. For large companies the annual report is often a
'glossy' publication designed to impress shareholders and potential investors.
However, the auditor’s report covers only the financial statements, not the other documents that
might be included.
True: implies that the financial statements are factually correct, have been prepared
according to an applicable reporting framework (such as International Financial
Reporting Standards) and that they do not contain any material misstatements that
may mislead the users. Misstatements may result from material errors or omissions in
the financial statements. True also implies that the financial statements are
materially accurate.
Fair: implies that the financial statements present the information faithfully without any
element of bias and they reflect the economic substance of transactions rather than
just their legal form. Presentation is an important element of fairness.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 8
For example:
The statement of financial position should show current assets and current liabilities separately and in
detail. Thus current assets and current liabilities might show:
Current assets
Inventory 10,000
Receivables 4,000
Cash 2,000
16,000
Current liabilities
Trade payables 12,000
This shows that the liquidity of the company is poor as suppliers expect $12,000 within the next few
weeks but, although inventory is high, there is not much coming from customers or in cash with
which to pay suppliers. Inventory can take a long time to be sold and to turn into cash.
then users might have a very wrong impression. The amounts are true (correct), but concealing the
large amount of inventory that contributes to the current assets is likely to mislead ie not a fair
presentation.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 9
3 Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of ABC Company (the Company), which comprise the statement of
financial position as at December 31, 20X1, and the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes
in equity and statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including
a summary of significant accounting policies.
In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, (or give a true and
fair view of) the financial position of the Company as at December 31, 20X1, and (of) its financial performance
and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRSs).
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities
under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the financial
statements section of our report.
We are independent of the Company in accordance with the International Ethics Standards Board for
Accountants’ Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (IESBA Code) together with the ethical requirements
that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in [jurisdiction], and we have fulfilled our other ethical
responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the IESBA Code. We believe that the audit evidence
we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
5 Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the financial statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance
with IFRSs and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of
financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to
continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going
concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease
operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Company’s financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free
from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our
opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in
accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from
fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be
expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 10
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional
skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or
error...
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit...
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used...
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting...
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the
disclosures...
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical
requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that
may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
The engagement partner on the audit resulting in this independent auditor’s report is [name].
7 [Signature in the name of the audit firm, the personal name of the auditor, or both, as appropriate for the
particular jurisdiction]
[Auditor Address]
[Date]
(3) The first section of the report is the most important part: the opinion paragraph, clearly headed
so that it can be easily found. Here the auditors state whether in their opinion the financial
statements' present fairly, in all material respects' in accordance with IFRS.
This type of assurance is known as ‘positive assurance’ or ‘reasonable assurance’ because the
auditor's conclusion is an opinion - not an absolute guarantee.
(4) The basis for opinion section directly follows the opinion section. It states that:
‣ the audit was conducted in accordance with ISAs
‣ the auditor is independent
‣ the auditor's belief that the opinion is supported with audit evidence.
(5)/(6) Pointing out what the directors are responsible for (5) and what the auditors are responsible for
(6). This reduces the ‘expectations gap’ because many users of financial statements think that
the auditors are responsible for their preparation. Auditors “give reasonable assurance that
the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or
error.” There are no guarantees: reasonable assurance only and material misstatements only.
(7) Signed and dated. The date is important because the audit is still in progress until then.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 11
7. Auditors’ rights
Auditor’s duties are to report on the matters as set out in the auditor’s report above. They also have a
legal duty to report certain matters to the authorities; this is covered in more detail later in Chapter 2.
To fulfil their duties auditors are given certain rights by law. For example
๏ Access to the company’s records. This includes not only he accounting records but also
documents such as contracts, correspondence and board minutes.
๏ To receive all information and explanations they require.
๏ The right to attend (and receive notice about) general meetings and the right to speak at
general meetings on relevant matters.
8. Appointment of auditors
Auditors have to be reappointed by an ordinary resolution of the members at every annual general
meeting (AGM). Reappointment is not automatic, so an auditor cannot simply stay in office. The
requirement for a resolution means that the members have to take positive action to get auditors
appointed.
Prior to the first AGM, the directors can appoint the first auditor. Or if an auditor resigns (eg due to
illness), the directors can appoint another auditor to fill a casual vacancy. These appointments will
only last till next AGM.
If all else fails, in the UK, the Secretary of State, in other words the government, will ensure that all
companies have an auditor.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 12
If an auditor resigns or is removed there is always the fear that they are going for some reason that
members ought to know about. For example, the auditors might have concluded that the directors
are concealing important information or are committing a fraud. In such cases the auditors are likely
to resign because it will be impossible for them to carry out a thorough audit. Therefore, upon either
resignation or removal, the auditor must give written notice accompanied by a 'statement of
circumstances' to the company’s registered office.
๏ give reasons why the auditor is ceasing to hold office that need to be brought to the attention
of members of creditors; or
๏ state that there are no such circumstances.
(1) Give written notice to the company together with the relevant statement of circumstances.
(2) Notify the relevant regulatory authority (eg Registrar of Companies) together with the
statement of circumstances.
(3) If there are 'circumstances', the auditor may request that the directors convene a general
meeting and circulate the statement to the members.
9.3 Removal
Auditors cannot be removed by the board. They can only be removed by the members. This gives the
auditors much greater strength should they disagree with the directors on some audit point: the
directors cannot simply find more amenable auditors. However, directors can have great influence
over the members and might recommend removal of the auditors even though the auditors are
doing a good job. Therefore, the auditors are entitled to make representations to the members at a
general meeting, arguing why they should not be removed.
If the resolution to remove them is passed the auditor has the right to attend, make representations
to and be heard at the general meeting at which:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 13
Question 1
Auditors can be removed from office by the directors of the company
Is this statement true or false?
Question 2
Which two of the following tasks do auditors undertake?
A Preparation of the financial statements
B Provide independent scrutiny of the financial statements
C Prepare an auditor’s report
D Warn shareholders that the company is loss-making
Question 3
Which (several) of the following are part of the financial statements?
A Directors’ report
B Statement of financial position
C Statement of profit or loss
D Chairman’s statement
E Statement of cash flows
Question 4
When discussing directors and shareholders, who are the principals and who are the agents?
Question 5
How frequently must auditors of a company be re-appointed?
Question 6
Auditors have a right to speak at general meetings
Is this statement true or false?
Question 7
What is a ‘statement of circumstance’?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 14
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 15
Chapter 2
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
1. Introduction
All members and students of the ACCA must follow the provisions of the Code of Ethics and Conduct
('the Code'). Note that it applies to:
๏ Students
๏ ACCA members acting as auditors
๏ ACCA members acting in some other accounting role.
Failure to comply with the Code can lead to fines, to members being excluded from membership, or
to students being removed from the student register.
Ethics are not just an ‘add on’: they are fundamental to being an ACCA member or student. If poor
ethical standards were allowed, then accountants lose much of their value. They might be technically
able to prepare or audit financial statements, but it the financial statements lack credibility what is
their point? Ethics give added value. Not only can the accountant prepare financial information, but
that information is also more reliable (and so more valuable) because it has been prepared by
someone adhering to ethical standards.
2. Conceptual framework
The Code includes a conceptual framework that:
You might feel that some of the examples of threats described below are trivial, but it is important
that the accountant is seen to be acting ethically and that there is no danger of a suspicion of
unethical conduct. In some situations, judgement is required as to the severity of the threat.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 16
Principle Meaning
1 Integrity Members should be straightforward and honest in business and
professional relationships. Integrity is more than honesty. It also means
sticking up for what you believe is right and following up areas of
concern. For example, you would not be acting with integrity if, upon
seeing what might be a fraudulent transaction you decide to not
investigate it further ie you ‘turn a blind eye’.
2 Objectivity Members should not allow bias, conflicts of interest or undue influence
to interfere with their professional or business judgement. For
example, if you were producing a budget that will be used for a
purchaser of the business, it will be difficult to be objective as there
will be an understandable desire to draft an optimistic budget.
3 Professional conduct Members must keep up-to-date with legislation, accounting standards,
and due care auditing standards and so on. Members must ensure that enough time,
resources and care are devoted to tasks so that they are carried out
correctly.
4 Confidentiality Accountants frequently have access to confidential information.
Auditors see financial results before shareholders; accountant in
business might see everyone’s remuneration. Therefore, accountants
must not disclose information unless:
๏ They have the client’s permission to do so. For example, the audit
firm might have been asked to carry out tax computations and to
submit these to the tax authorities.
๏ There is a legal or professional right or duty to disclose
information. For example, many countries have anti-money
laundering legislation which compels auditors to alert the
authorities if they have even a suspicion of money laundering. A
right to disclose information can arise if the audit firm had to
defend itself in court against allegations of negligence.
๏ A public duty to disclose information. The concept of public
interest is not defined by statute, and an auditor would be
advised to seek legal advice on these matters. For example, is
there a public duty to disclose that a client pays staff below
minimum wages. You might think that morality is of disclosure,
but the auditor’s prime duty is to report on the financial
statements, not to be a watchdog for every breach of rules and
regulations.
5 Professional behaviour Members must avoid any action that would bring the profession into
disrepute. For example, being found guilty of theft (or even fare
evasion) could land a member or student in trouble with the ACCA.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 17
Although not listed as one of the fundamental ethical principles, the concept of independence is
very important. It is more difficult to act with integrity and objectivity if you are not independent from
a client. The ACCA’s code of ethics and conduct requires members not only to be independent but
also to be seen to be independent.
Category Meaning
1 Self-interest For example, financial self-interest
2 Self review For example, checking your own work and verifying your own
judgements and decisions
3 Advocacy For example, promoting a client to others
4 Familiarity For example, personal relationships that can interfere with objectivity
and professional scepticism
5 Intimidation For example, a physical threat (thankfully rare) or the threat of losing
your job
๏ Safeguards created by the profession. For example, adhering to professional standards and
following the ACCA’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.
๏ Safeguards created by the work environment. For example, a policy rotating members of an
audit team to avoid familiarity with a client, and providing training and review procedures to
ensure professional competence is not threatened.
๏ Safeguards created by individual members. For example, staying up -to-date with new
accounting and auditing standards.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 18
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 19
Temporary staff assignments to audit clients. An audit firm may 'lend' staff to an audit client as
long as they will not assume management
responsibilities (however short the period of
time) and the loaned staff is not a member of the
audit team.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 20
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 21
Question 1
What are the five fundamental principles of the ACCA's Code of Ethics and Conduct?
Question 2
‘All students of ACCA are bound by its Code of Ethics and Conduct.’
Question 3
What is the conceptual framework?
Question 4
What are the categories of threat to an auditor’s independence?
Question 5
When may an auditor disclose confidential information about an audit client?
Question 6
Fees from a public interest entity should generally not exceed which of the following
percentages of total fees?
A 5%
B 10%
C 15%
D 20%
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 22
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 23
Chapter 3
AUDIT REGULATION AND AUDITOR
ENGAGEMENT AND LIABILITY
1. Regulation
Auditors are regulated by:
๏ Professional bodies (eg ACCA)
๏ International bodies (eg IFAC, the International Federation of Accountants)
๏ National bodies (in the UK the FRC, Financial Reporting Council)
The purpose of IFAC is to serve the public interest by establishing and promoting adherence to high-
quality professional standards. It has a number of boards including:
๏ IAASB (International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board): Sets International Standards on
Auditing (ISAs) and other assurance standards
๏ IESBA (International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants): Issues the International Code of
Ethics for Professional Accountants.
The IAASB's ISAs are adopted by the FRC in the UK which has local regulatory power. The IESBA's Code
has been adopted by ACCA in its Code of Ethics and Conduct.
The IAASB’s International Standards do not override local (national) laws or regulations that govern
the audit of financial statements. Therefore, if an audit is conducted in accordance with national
requirements that differ from or conflict with ISAs, it may not comply with International Standards.
2.2 Purpose
ISAs are high-quality standards which promote consistency of practice throughout the world and
thereby strengthen public confidence in the global auditing professions. Nearly 80% of jurisdictions
worldwide have adopted ISAs for mandatory (statutory) audits.
2.3 Scope
ISAs apply to and are written in the context of an audit of financial statements by an independent
auditor. An audit will comply with the IAASB’s Standards only if the auditor has complied full with all
standards relevant to the audit.
The vast majority of the standards listed in the next section will be relevant to all audits. Clearly
though, ISAs 610 and 620 would only be relevant if the auditor uses the work of internal audit or an
expert.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 24
Glossary of Terms
Preface to International Standards on Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance and Related
Services
ISA 200 Overall Objectives of the Independent Auditor and the Conduct of an Audit in Accordance
with ISAs
ISA 265 Communicating Deficiencies in Internal Control to Those Charged with Governance and
Management
ISA 315 Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement through Understanding the
Entity and Its Environment
ISA 540 Auditing Accounting Estimates, Including Fair Value Accounting Estimates and Related
Disclosures
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 25
3. Engagement acceptance
3.1 Factors to be considered
It is, of course, flattering to be asked to be a company’s auditor. The assumption is that the company
has heard good reports and a new audit means new fees. However, there are many factors to be
considered before accepting an audit engagement:
๏ Is it ethical to take on the new work? For example, there might be close personal relationships to
consider or the new fee income would make the auditor unduly reliant on that client.
๏ Will the auditor be able to meet the professional competence and due care criteria? For
example, the potential client might be an insurance company but the auditor has no experience
of auditing such specialist businesses.
๏ Is it practical to take on the new work given the size of the job and the auditor’s current staffing
levels and commitment to existing clients?
๏ What is known about the type of business, its directors and its owners? Some types of business
are more risky than others, some businesses might be in business sectors the auditor feels might
cause reputational damage, and some directors can have shady pasts.
๏ Is the fee acceptable?
The steps that an audit firm should take before agreeing to become the auditor of a new client are
therefore:
๏ Ensure that it is professionally qualified to act on both ethical and legal grounds.
๏ Ensure that existing resources are adequate to cover both the required expertise and the time
that the new work will take
๏ Investigate the company, its owners and directors
๏ Communicate with the present /outgoing auditor.
If, for example, there had been serious disagreements about an accounting treatment and the
directors were not willing to amend the financial statements, the new auditor might think twice about
becoming involved with what might be a difficult client.
If, however, the outgoing auditor declined to be reappointed because the client had become too big
for them, that would not be a reason why the prospective auditor could not accept the engagement.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 26
The full process when taking over from a previous auditor is as follows:
๏ Ask the client for permission to contact the outgoing auditor. If the new client refuses, the
appointment should be refused (what are they trying to hide?)
๏ Contact the outgoing auditor and ask if there are any reasons why they should not accept
appointment.
๏ The outgoing auditor has to ask the client’s permission to reply to the new auditor
(confidentiality rules require this). If the client refuses, the appointment should be refused (what
are they trying to hide?)
๏ Assess any information received in the reply, together with other evidence collected
independently.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 27
4. Auditor liability
4.1 Introduction
Occasionally auditors get it wrong and they put their name to a set of financial statements which
contain a material misstatement. Obviously, if users of the financial statements have relied on those
statements (eg to make investment decisions), they could suffer financial harm because they would
have been misled.
When auditors are appointed they send an engagement letter to the company. Essentially, this is a
contract setting out both the auditors’ and the company’s responsibilities. It is possible for the
auditors to breach this contract and so be liable for damages, but the main legal risk that auditors
suffer is from the tort of negligence.
In partial contrast, in the Bannerman case it was held that auditors could owe a duty of care to a bank
if the auditors knew that the bank was relying on the audited financial statements and the auditors
did not disclaim their liability to the bank.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 28
Question 1
Who sets international Standards on Auditing?
Question 2
The rules set out in the International Standards on Auditing always override national laws and
regulations governing the audit of the financial statements of companies.
Question 3
An audit of financial statements will comply with International Standards if the auditor complies fully
with all standards relevant to the engagement.
Question 4
Which of the following ISAs would not be relevant to all audits of financial statements?
A Audit Documentation
Question 5
Incoming auditors are not allowed to communicate with outgoing auditors.
Is this statement true or false?
Question 6
State four factors an auditor must consider before accepting a new appointment.
Question 7
What is the purpose of an engagement letter?
Question 8
Which of the following statements best describes auditors’ liability to users of financial
statements?
A They are liable to all users of financial statements
B They are liable only to the members
C They are liable to members and can be liable to others
D They are not liable to anyone because they only provide reasonable assurance that the
financial statements are free for material misstatement
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 29
Chapter 4
AUDIT PLANNING AND RISK
ASSESSMENT
1. Introduction
Audit risk is a technical term related to the process of auditing. The first thing to appreciate is that
audit risk cannot be reduced to zero as an audit cannot provide absolute assurance – only reasonable
assurance. This is because an audit has ‘inherent limitations’, for example:
๏ Part of the nature of financial reporting is that financial statements should include accounting
estimates which necessarily involve judgement.
๏ Audit procedures are designed to gather audit evidence, not to detect intentional misstatement
that has been deliberately concealed.
๏ As an audit needs to be conducted within a reasonable period of time and at a reasonable cost,
it is not possible to examine everything exhaustively.
๏ Planning. This will often require a meeting with the client – certainly in the first year of a new
audit. Subsequently, a planning phone call might suffice for smaller clients. For new audits the
auditor will want to meet senior staff and to visit the client’s premises. They will want to discuss
any problems that might have arisen in previous audits. In subsequent years, the auditor will be
particularly interested in changes during the year such as a new accounting system, additional
premises, changes in senior personnel and accounting or trading problems.
๏ An interim audit. This takes place typically four or five months before the end of the accounting
period. This is when the accounting system and internal controls are examined and tested.
๏ A final audit. This happens typically a few weeks after the accounting period end to allow the
client to prepare the draft financial statements. It is on these statements that the auditor will be
reporting.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 30
Understand the
entity and its
environment
Preliminary
materiality
Assessment of risks
Responses to risk
Test internal
control
In
(let effec
ter ti
to m ve co
Effective ana ntrol
controls gem s
ent
)
Full
Reduced substantive
substantive procedures
procedures
Final review
Report
This is an essential stage in any audit. Indeed, in the auditor’s report the auditor states that the audit
was planned.
The first step is to understand the entity (client) and its environment. Information that will be
collected includes:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 31
Based on this information, preliminary materiality can be calculated. Risks arise from material
misstatements so it is necessary to have an early idea of what sizes of errors are likely to be material.
This information will also give the auditor some insight into the higher risk areas of the audit. Risk
would be increased if, for example:
The auditor will respond to the risk assessment by designing appropriate audit procedures to obtain
sufficient appropriate audit evidence that the financial statements are free from material
misstatement.
For example, in the case of inventory consisting of small, high-value items it will be necessary to take
great care over the audit of inventory. If a new IT system had been introduced during the year, the
auditor will have to carry out additional work on accounting entries just after its implementation
because the transition from old to new system might not have gone smoothly.
Planning an audit involves establishing the overall audit strategy for the engagement and developing
an audit plan. Adequate planning benefits the audit of financial statements in several ways, including
the following:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 32
Auditors are expected to produce and document both the audit strategy and the audit plan.
(1) Identify the characteristics of the engagement that define its scope;
(2) Plan the timing of the audit and the nature of the communications required. This will include
the timing of any reports needed, the nature of the reports and for whom the reports are being
prepared.
(3) Consider the factors that, in the auditor’s professional judgment, are significant in directing the
audit team’s efforts. For example, looking carefully at whether the going concern basis of
accounting is appropriate.
(4) Ascertain the nature, timing and extent of resources necessary to perform the engagement. This
will includes deciding the number staff needed, their experience and seniority. It will also
include deciding to what extend third parties might needed for some of the audit work, for
example, surveyors might be needed to assess the stage of completion of a building.
(2) The nature, timing and extent of further audit procedures to respond to the assessed risks.
This part of the plan is a detailed audit program which sets out exactly the work that has to be done.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 33
3. Materiality
3.1 Introduction
Information is material if its omission or misstatement could influence the decisions of users of the
financial statements.
Information can be material through its size, incidence and/or nature. For example, if there is a
requirement to disclose directors' remuneration, this must be accurate so any misstatements should
be regarded as material. Similarly there is no excuse for failing to state the cash at bank figure
accurately. However, with inventory, there can often be considerable judgement needed to arrive at
net realisable value, so there will be a range of acceptable amounts.
Materiality is ultimately a matter for the judgement of the audit partner. How may shareholders be
influenced by a figure? Although it will be up to the partner to make the final decision, it is important
for members of the audit team, to be given some guidance. There is no point asking for a $5,000 error
to be corrected in the financial statements of a multi-national company that is reporting in $ millions..
Common materiality benchmarks (and you need to know these for your exam) are:
Consider this example: wages, electricity, depreciation, rent are all understated by 3%. Each item on
its own is immaterial to profit, but taken together, because the errors add up the same way, the effect
is material. Therefore, the concept of performance materiality means that smaller errors may be
identified by audit procedures..
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 34
4. Analytical procedures
4.1 Introduction
The term “analytical procedures” means evaluations of financial information through analysis of
plausible relationships among both financial and non-financial data. For example, if sales rise you
might also expect the packaging cost to rise. Analytical procedures includes investigation of identified
fluctuations or relationships that are inconsistent with other relevant information or that differ from
expected values by a significant amount. So, if packaging costs do not rise in line with sales, the fear is
that there has been an accounting error. Of course, the apparent discrepancy might be explained by
the company having adopted cheaper packaging.
Analytical procedures must be used at the planning stage to assess whether or not the financial
statements are consistent with the auditor's understanding of the entity.
4.2 Examples
Analytical procedures include comparison of the entity’s financial information with, for example:
Various methods may be used to perform analytical procedures. These methods range from
performing simple comparisons to performing complex analyses using advanced statistical
techniques.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 35
At the start of this chapter, audit risk was defined as the risk that the auditor gives an inappropriate
opinion on the financial statements. Proper planning is essential to reduce audit risk by, for example,
giving appropriate attention to high risk areas of the audit.
However, this ‘common sense’ approach to audit has an extremely important theoretical foundation
that shows how risk can build up or be reduced.
Control risk: the risk that the misstatement will not be prevented, detected and
corrected on a timely basis by the entity’s internal control
Detection risk: the risk that the auditor’s procedures will not detect the
misstatement.
Therefore, for a material error to get into the published financial statements together with in
inappropriate auditor’s report, three things have to happen:
(2) It must not have been picked up by the client’s internal control system (control risk)
The error is now in the financial statements that are about to be audited, and together these two
risks determine the risk of a material misstatement ('ROMM').
(3) The financial statements are audited, but the auditor does not detect the misstatement
The error will now be in the published financial statements that will be sent to shareholders with
an inappropriate audit opinion - that they show a true and fair view (or present fairly), when they
do not.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 36
๏ Complex transactions
๏ Inexperienced staff
๏ Time pressure
๏ New IT systems
๏ Pressure to perform (leading to optimistic estimates)
๏ Cash businesses
Therefore, if inherent risk and/or control risks are high, the auditor can reduce audit risk to an
acceptable level by performing more audit work.
If inherent risk and control risk are both low, the auditor will be able to perform less work because
there is only a low risk of an error having occurred and then only a low risk that the client’s system will
not detect the misstatement.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 37
The amount of audit work that has to be carried out should be influenced by the concept of
professional scepticism. If you are sceptical it means that you do not know whether or not something
is true; you would have a questioning attitude and would not believe something in the absence of
reasonable evidence.
Auditors must adopt this attitude. This does not mean that they suspect all directors and employees
in the client company of telling lies and deliberately misleading them, but they are aware that
everyone makes mistakes, everyone can be unrealistically optimistic, and that everyone can give
quick but incorrect replies if under time pressure. Of course, human nature being what it is,
occasionally auditors will be deliberately given incorrect information.
Professional scepticism affects the amount of audit work that has to be carried out. It includes being
alert to, for example:
Maintaining professional scepticism throughout the audit is necessary if the auditor is, for example, to
reduce the risks of:
5.6 Fraud
It is not the auditor’s responsibility to detect fraud – though if it gives rise to a material misstatement,
an audit should provide reasonable assurance that the fraud is discovered. Fraud may involve
sophisticated and carefully organised schemes designed to conceal it. Therefore, the procedures used
to gather audit evidence may not be effective for detecting an intentional misstatement that involves,
for example, collusion to falsify documentation which may cause the auditor to believe that audit
evidence is valid when it is not.
Nevertheless, as part of planning the audit, the engagement team members and the engagement
partner must discuss on how and where the entity’s financial statements may be susceptible to
material misstatement due to fraud, including how fraud might occur.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 38
Question 1
What are the three components of audit risk and which can the auditor most easily affect?
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Which two of the following would increase the risk of a misstatement in the draft financial
statements presented to an auditor to audit?
A Inexperienced accounting staff
B Inexperienced auditors
C Complex transaction
D A good system of internal control
Question 5
What are the commonly used benchmarks for materiality in terms of profit, revenue and total
assets?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 39
Chapter 5
TESTS OF CONTROL AND SUBSTANTIVE
PROCEDURES
1. Introduction
The previous chapter introduced both the following diagram of the audit process and the
components of audit risk:
Understand the
entity and its
environment
Preliminary
materiality
Assessment of risks
Responses to risk
Test internal
control
In
(let effec
ter ti
to m ve co
Effective ana ntrol
controls gem s
ent
)
Full
Reduced substantive
substantive procedures
procedures
Final review
Report
We now bring these concepts together to determine how the audit approach.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 40
๏ Either to use substantive procedures only (‘substantive approach’) – right side of diagram
๏ Or use tests of controls and substantive procedures (‘combined approach’) – left side of
diagram
As explained in the next section, using tests of controls alone is not an audit approach.
Where it is possible to use tests of controls (ie controls are effective), the combined approach will
usually be more efficient than the substantive approach. This is because, in the combined approach,
substantive procedures will be reduced.
Tests of controls and substantive procedures are collectively referred to as ‘further audit
procedures’ (i.e. the procedures to obtain audit evidence after performing the risk assessment
procedures).
Test of controls – these provide indirect evidence about the accuracy/completeness, etc of
transactions (and hence balances) because they are just that – a test of control – was the control
applied – yes or no? Substantive procedures (which include substantive analytical procedures and
tests of details) provide direct evidence about the accuracy/completeness etc of transactions and
balances because they are concerned with monetary amounts
Consider for example the control that all purchases are authorised before an order is placed with a
supplier. This should apply to all purchases regardless of the monetary amounts involved. The test of
the control will not distinguish between a purchase order for $500 of goods and a purchased order for
$50,000 of goods.
This is why it is not possible to use tests of controls alone - some substantive procedures must always
be performed to obtain audit evidence about monetary amounts.
As another example, if an internal control is that all overtime claims have to be authorised by a
supervisor, then the auditor would choose a sample of the claims to inspect them for the supervisor’s
signature. As part of this test, the auditor is not really concerned with the amount of overtime: if the
supervisor has been doing his job properly, the overtime payments will have been approved.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 41
Substantive procedures are designed to detect material misstatements in the financial statements.
They are therefore concerned with the monetary amounts of transactions (in the statement of profit
and loss) and balances (in the statement of financial position).
So, using the overtime example, what procedures may be used to determine whether the overtime
cost is correct?
Analytical procedures were introduced in the previous chapter as an essential risk assessment
procedure carried out at the planning stage. In contrast, substantive analytical procedures will only
be carried out when it is more effective than using tests of details alone. This will usually be the case
for large volumes of transactions that tend to be predictable over time. So, for example:
๏ Comparing the total cost of overtime to the previous year and/or budgeted cost
๏ A month-by-month comparison of the cost of overtime and investigation of very high or low
amounts
๏ Comparing actual overtime payments against predictions based on production volume
๏ Analysing overtime payments amongst staff in the same department to see if anyone appears to
be consistently paid large amounts.
Tests of details
In such a case the auditor will have to change from the combined approach to the substantive
approach – in the areas where internal control is not effective.
A management letter (see Chapter 11) will be sent by the auditors to management explaining:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 42
Even where companies have very good systems of internal control, the auditor cannot obtain
sufficient evidence to form an audit opinion through tests of internal controls alone. Even though the
extent of substantive procedures necessary will be reduced - the need for substantive procedures
cannot be eliminated altogether.
However 'good' or 'sound' a system of controls appears to be - it cannot be infallible. Controls can
only reduce, but not eliminate, risks of material misstatement due to inherent limitations:
Failure to understand or take action there may be ineffective controls because individuals
may not understand the purpose of a specific control.
For example, the purpose of a payroll exception report.
Cost benefit consideration For example, the cost of employing additional accounts
staff to ensure adequate segregation of duties may
outweigh the maximum benefit to be derived from
improved internal control.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 43
If there is a good internal control system, and this is verified by testing the operation and effectiveness
of the controls, the auditor will assess control risk as low. This will result in a very efficient audit
because relatively few instances of the control operating have to be tested: maybe 30, 60 or 100 (but
typically not more than 100).
Therefore in a multi-million $ enterprise with thousands of invoices being processed daily, the auditor
can collect sufficient appropriate audit evidence that, for example, an invoice cannot be paid twice, by
inspecting relatively few paid invoices to make sure that they have been marked as paid in some way
(eg stamped 'Paid'). Marking the invoices ‘Paid’ is part of the internal control system and if all invoices
inspected have been properly stamped 'Paid' the auditor will have evidence that the control is
operating correctly. This is obviously a very efficient audit approach. It’s not foolproof, of course, as
there could be invoices that were not marked 'paid' but not in the sample selected. This 'sampling
risk' is considered later in Chapter 7.
If the internal control system had originally been judged to be poor, the substantive approach will be
the most efficient, even though this may require more audit effort than if the controls had been
effective. What would be inefficient, would be start taking the combined approach and the having to
switch to the substantive approach (eg due to insufficient understanding in planning the audit).
Even if there appear to be good controls, the auditor make take the substantive rather than combined
approach because it is the more efficient. For example, auditors may decide that 100% testing is
appropriate where there are a small number of high value items that make up a population. An
example would be a property development company that has only 20 purchase/sale transactions in
the year. Each transaction is likely to be material and there is no gain in efficiency or audit
effectiveness by not looking at all 20.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 44
Question 1
What are the two types of substantive procedure?
Question 2
Which of the following is a test of control?
A Inspect a sample of timesheets for authorisation of hours worked
B Make enquires of management about changes in the payroll during the year
C Agree a sample of wages and salaries payments to the payroll
D Compare the monthly payroll with budgeted employee costs
Question 3
If internal control is very good, auditors can rely on tests of control and do not need to carry out any
substantive procedures.
Question 4
What are the three elements of a management letter?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 45
Chapter 6
ASSERTIONS AND AUDIT EVIDENCE
1. Introduction
When a figure appears in financial statements it is making a number of assertions. For example, if the
receivables figure is $2,453,000, the figure is asserting:
It is not possible to simply audit $2,453,000 ‘in one go’: each financial statement assertion requires
audit evidence.
๏ Occurrence – transactions and events that have been recorded or disclosed have
occurred and pertain to the entity.
๏ Completeness – all transactions and events that should have been recorded/
disclosed have been recorded/disclosed.
๏ Accuracy – amounts have been recorded appropriately and related disclosures
have been properly measured and described.
๏ Cut-off – transactions and events have been recorded in the correct
accounting period.
๏ Classification – transactions and events have been recorded in the proper
accounts.
๏ Presentation – transactions and events are appropriately aggregated (or
disaggregated) and clearly described. Related disclosures are
relevant and understandable.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 46
๏ Note that completeness, accuracy, classification and presentation are relevant to both
'transactions and events' and 'account balances' and their related disclosures.
๏ Understand that occurrence and cut-off relate only to transactions and events.
๏ Understand that existence, rights and obligations and valuation and allocation relate only to
account balances.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 47
4. Audit evidence
4.1 Audit procedures for obtaining audit evidence
๏ Inspection
๏ Observation
๏ External confirmation
๏ Recalculation
๏ Reperformance
๏ Analytical procedures
๏ Enquiry
For the sake of easy learning they are sometimes written to (almost) form the vowels AEIOU:
๏ Analytical procedures
๏ Enquiry and confirmation
๏ Inspection
๏ Observation
๏ RecalcUlation and reperformance
There are no methods to collect evidence that cannot be categorised under one of these headings.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 48
Note that:
๏ For a test of control, enquiry alone would never be sufficient to conclude that a control is
operating effectively.
๏ Substantive procedures are directed to specific assertions.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 49
So now we know the various procedures to obtain audit evidence, but how much audit evidence is
needed? The sufficiency and appropriateness of audit evidence are interrelated.
Sufficiency relates to the quantity of audit evidence. The quantity of audit evidence needed is
affected by the auditor’s assessment of the risks of misstatement (the higher the assessed risks, the
more audit evidence is likely to be required) and also by the quality of such audit evidence (the higher
the quality, the less may be required). Obtaining more audit evidence, however, may not compensate
for its poor quality.
Appropriateness relates to the quality of audit evidence - its relevance (ie to the financial statement
assertions) and reliability. With respect to the reliability of audit evidence we can say that, in
general:
Therefore, a director simply telling the auditor something is very weak evidence (internal, oral). A bank
writing to the auditor to confirm the bank balance is very strong evidence (written, external, obtained
directly by the auditor).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 50
Question 1
What are the financial statement assertions about classes of transaction and events?
Question 2
Which financial statement assertions relate to balances at the period end?
Question 3
What are the ways in which audit evidence can be collected (AEIOU)?
Question 4
An auditor requires __________ audit evidence that the financial statements are free from material
misstatement.
Question 5
Select from each of the following pairs of terms, the word(s) that describe the more reliable
audit evidence.
Written Oral
Obtained via the client Auditor direct obtained
Internal External
Photocopies Originals
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 51
Chapter 7
AUDIT SAMPLING
1. Introduction
Unless an audit client is very small almost all audit 'testing' relies on sampling. This is because there
simply isn’t time to examine all documents, transactions and balances and it wouldn’t be
economically viable to do so. If, however, valid statistical conclusions are to be drawn about a
population based on a sample, then the sample must be free from bias. In other words every
document, transaction or balance in the population has an equal chance of being included in the
sample. This is known as audit sampling.
2. Audit sampling
The process involves:
In statistical sampling:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 52
3. Selection methods
๏ Random selection. The best way to remove bias and to obtain a representative sample is to
adopt what’s called random selection. Let’s say we wanted to look at purchase invoices
throughout the year. There might be 20,000 purchase invoices and we want to inspect 20 of
them. What you would do is to number the 20,000 invoices consecutively and then use a
random number generator to produce 20 numbers and you would then go and look at the
corresponding invoices. The difficulty with this approach is that very often the population is not
pre-numbered and to set out initially numbering all 20,000 invoices would be very time-
consuming.
๏ Systematic ('interval') selection. This is an approximation to pure random selection. Again, if
with 20,000 invoices you wanted to look at about 20 invoices you could do that by looking at
every 1,000th invoice. So what you would do is that near the beginning of the population you
would choose an invoice at random and then count through selecting every 1,000th one.
Provided there isn’t some weird correspondence of every 1,000 invoice being from exactly the
same supplier, you are going to get pretty close to random selection.
๏ Haphazard selection. This is frequently used because it is convenient. For example, the auditor
opening a file at random and picking the invoice at which the file is opened. There can be
obvious problems with this. The file might always open at a slightly thicker invoice or a slightly
larger invoice and that invoice could be from the same small group of suppliers. There might be
a relatively small chance of the physically small invoice being chosen. There is also a risk of bias.
The auditor may, consciously or unconsciously pick out invoices which appear to be correct (so
quickly dealt with) or 'more interesting' (perhaps more likely to have an error). The sample is
therefore unlikely to be representative, so cannot be used in statistical sampling.
๏ Block selection. For example choosing 20 invoices all in a sequence. Depending on how they
are filed, they could all from the same supplier or may be from different suppliers, but all with
the same date. This is not a representative sample. (Clearly it would not be possible in a test of
control to conclude on the effectiveness of controls throughout the period.)
๏ Stratification. If we know that there are 20,000 invoices, 10 of those are above 100,000 then it
might make sense to make sure we choose at least all of those 10 invoices plus another 10
chosen randomly. Stratification means dividing your population into different sub-populations
('layers') with similar characteristics (usually monetary amount). The results of testing each layer
must be separately evaluated.
๏ Value-weighted selection. This is used in monetary unit sampling and is rather more complex
as described on the next page.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 53
Invoice Cumulative
value invoice value
($) ($)
80 80
70 150 5,000/4 = 1,250
400 550
90 640 Choose first at random – say, 605
1,600 2,240 Then: 1,855 ( = 605 + 1,250)
20 2,260
700 2,960
50 3,100
1,010 4,020 Then: 3,105 ( = 1,855 + 1,250)
80 4,100
30 4,130
600 4,730 Then: 4,355 ( = 3,105 + 1,250)
380 5,110
What we have is a list of say customer invoices 80, 70, 400, 90, all the way down to 380.
The right hand column of the table is a cumulative total, so the first one is 80, then 80 plus 70 is 150,
150 plus 400 is 550, 550 plus 90 is 640, so our total receivables is 5110.
We want to look at four invoices out of these receivables. So you take the total, and if we round it to
5,000 and divide by 4 that give 1,250. Choose the first interval at random, here is say 605, and then go
up 1,250 at a time. So after 605 plus 1,250 will be 1,855, plus 1,250 will be 3,105, plus 1,250 will be
4,355 and you see where a cumulative total of those values lie. So 1,855 falls within the cumulative
total of 2,240 and that corresponds to the invoice value 1,600. The next one 3,105 falls within the
cumulative 4,020 and that corresponds to the invoice with value 1,010.
What this process does is increase the chance of selecting higher value transactions. This will direct
testing to where there is the greatest potential for misstatement. Note that any invoice value which
exceeds the interval (here only 1,600) is guaranteed to be selected. This also has the effect of
stratifying the population.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 54
You should remember from a previous chapter that audit risk is the risk that the auditor comes to the
wrong conclusion about the financial statements and gives an inappropriate opinion. One of the
contributors to audit risk was detection risk – the auditor failing to spot a misstatement.
Detection risk has two causes: sampling risk and non-sampling risk.
This can be described as ‘bad luck’. For example, a population contains 10% of documents that have
not been properly approved. If a sample of 10 items were randomly chosen there is approximately a
35% chance (0.910) that no non-approved items have been chosen. If the auditor only happens to pick
10 good invoices the auditor will conclude that the internal control is working well when, in fact, 10%
of invoices are not approved.
Sampling risk is reduced by increasing the sample size. If 30 were chosen then the chance of not
finding a bad invoice is reduced to 4%.
Sample size should be large enough to reduce sampling risk to an acceptably low level.
๏ The risk of material misstatement (the greater the risk, the larger the sample)
๏ What other audit work can be done to address the same assertion
๏ The desired level of assurance
๏ Stratification (generally reduces total sample size for the population).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 55
Question 1
Explain what is meant by the term ‘statistical sampling’.
Question 2
Explain what is meant by the term ‘'stratification'.
Question 3
Identify which of the following selection methods may be used in statistical sampling (S) and
which can only be used in non-statistical sampling (N).
N or S
Haphazard
Monetary unit
Systematic
Block
Question 4
How can sampling risk be reduced?
Question 5
How can non-sampling risk be reduced?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 56
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 57
Chapter 8
USING THE WORK OF OTHERS
Remember that the directors are required under corporate governance codes to review the need for
internal audit. Normally to achieve an element of independence from the executive directors, you
would expect internal audit to report to the audit committee, which is responsible for monitoring and
reviewing the effectiveness of internal audit.
The main function of the internal audit department is to examine, evaluate and report to
management and directors on the adequacy and effectiveness of internal control. They will play a
major part in designing internal control system and will report on departures from that system and
give suggestions about where it can be improved.
๏ Helps achievement of corporate objectives (how could a company make profits if it doesn’t
safeguard its assets or properly record transactions?)
๏ Aids risk assessment and management.
๏ Improves efficiency, effectiveness and economy.
๏ Designs internal control system.
๏ Checks operation of internal controls system.
๏ Value for money audits.
๏ Tests IT controls.
๏ Liaises with external auditors/shares work.
And finally internal audit often plays a major part in liaising with external auditors and sharing work.
Typically in very large organisations the external auditors do not visit every department or every
branch, every factory or every outlet. Quite a lot of that audit work is carried out by the internal audit
department and the external auditors will review the working papers and findings of internal audit.
Generally the external auditors will move around to different departments and branches so that over
a period of few years, external auditors have visited every part of the client.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 58
๏ Is objective and supported by organisational status (eg has direct access to those charged with
governance); and
๏ Is competent – not only in terms of professional qualifications and experience but whether it
has adequate resources; and
๏ Applies a systematic and disciplined approach to planning, performing and documenting its
activities, including quality control.
All three criteria must be met (ie a high level of objectivity cannot compensate for a lack of
competence, or vice versa). If the auditor decides to use the work of internal audit, the auditor must
evaluate whether the work of internal audit is adequate for audit purposes.
There are two classes of expert (ie expertise in a field other than accounting or auditing):
If the work of management’s expert is to be used as audit evidence (ISA 500), the auditor must
evaluate:
This should be determined at the planning stage of the audit. The auditor must evaluate the
competence, capabilities and objectivity of the auditor’s expert (as for management’s expert).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 59
The following matters must be agreed, in writing, with the auditor's expert:
The auditor must evaluate the adequacy of the expert's work including:
๏ Consistency with other evidence. For example, if a property valuer reported a decrease in the
value of a client’s property portfolio, yet the newspapers were full of news about a property
boom, the auditor should challenge the valuer’s results.
๏ Assumptions made. For example about the rate of returns that might be earned on pension
funds.
๏ Use and accuracy of source data. To value property the valuer must start with an up-to-date list
of the properties the company owns.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 60
Question 1
What is the main function of internal audit?
Question 2
What three criteria must be met for the auditor to use the work of internal audit?
Question 3
What is the difference between management’s expert and an auditor’s expert?
Question 4
When may an auditor’s expert be needed?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 61
Chapter 9
COMPUTER ASSISTED AUDIT
TECHNIQUES
1. Introduction
Even very small businesses will usually maintain their computer records on computer. There are many
advantages to this, not least that trial balances will usually balance and control accounts will reconcile
to the underlying detailed records. However, the absence of as many hand-written data and
documents data can make auditing more difficult. For example, it can be difficult to test whether a
computer is carrying out a procedure correctly and it can be more difficult to ‘see’ and examine the
information and records than in a manual system.
Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATs) have been developed to assist the auditor when the
client maintains computerised records.
2. Types of CAAT
2.1 Audit software
Audit software (or audit programs) is software developed and used by auditors. Audit software allows
clients’ accounting data files to be read and examined.
๏ Adding up the records. For example, inventory values and receivables balances. The totals are
the amounts that should appear in the statement of financial position.
๏ Performing calculations for analytical procedures.
๏ Identifying and printing details of unusual items for further investigation, such as credit
balances on a receivables ledger or negative inventory balances.
๏ Picking samples. For example, that audit software can be programmed to create a stratified
sample or a pure random sample.
๏ Picking all items with particular characteristics, such as all sales orders approved by a certain
employee.
Once it is set up, audit software can quickly, efficiently and economically examine every item on a
data file. This which would often be difficult or impossible if attempted manually. It can greatly speed
up audit procedures and reduce costs.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 62
Test data is auditor’s data that is operated on by client’s program. It is used to test the workings and
resilience of programs.
The results produced by client programs are compared with predictions of what should happen and
any discrepancies are investigated.
๏ Test that calculations are carried out correctly by client software. For example, enter time sheet
data of 50 hours worked and ensure that the correct wages and tax are calculated.
๏ Test that programmed controls and procedures are carried out correctly. For example, if a
client’s system should reject orders from customer over their credit limit, test that such orders
are indeed rejected by entering an order that should be rejected.
๏ Test how resilient software is against input errors. For example, test what happens if an account
number is entered incorrectly, or a negative amount of goods is ordered, or an impossible date
is entered.
Test data will therefore include normal error-free items, some unusual items and some extreme or
unexpected items. Test data will therefore usually be 'dummy' data rather than actual data. Also,
because of the risk of corrupting the client's records with such data, it will usually be processed
'dead' (ie using copies of files) rather than live.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 63
Question 1
What is ‘test data’?
Question 2
Which of audit test data (TD) or audit software (AS) would be more useful for the following?
Question 3
Which two of the following statements are correct?
A Audit software belongs to the client and is applied to the auditor’s data.
B Audit software belongs to the auditor and is applied to the client's data.
C Test data is the client’s and is processed by audit software.
D Test data is the auditors and is processed by the client’s programs.
Question 4
Which of the following is a use of test data?
A Extracting data from the client’s system for review
B Performing calculations for analytical procedures
C Processing data to confirm that controls are operating as expected
D Selecting a sample for tests of details
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 64
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 65
Chapter 10
AUDIT DOCUMENTATION
1. Introduction
Before the auditor can assess and test a client’s system of internal control, the accounting system
must be documented and understood. These processes are usually carried at the interim audit stage.
The accounting system documentation will be filed in the auditor’s permanent audit file for the client.
Each year, before starting the audit process the documentation has to be reviewed and updated for
any changes in the client’s system.
Control activities are the policies and procedures that help ensure that control objectives are met. For
example, the above objectives could be met by:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 66
Once control procedures have been identified then they can be tested to see if they are operating
properly.
Possible procedures
Objective: to prevent Test of control
(controls)
Purchase invoices to be paid Cancel invoices when paid Select 20 paid invoices and
twice inspect them to ensure that
they have been cancelled.
Goods to be despatched to Credit check before processing Select 20 sales orders and
non-credit worthy customers sales orders inspect them to see if they are
marked as having been
approved for credit.
Overtime to be paid if not Timesheets or clock cards are Select 15 timesheets and
worked authorised by supervisor inspect them to ensure that all
have been signed by the
supervisor as authorisation.
Inventory or cash to be stolen Physically safeguarding these Observe how inventory and
assets cash is safeguarded.
Non-current asset to be bought Requisition for capital Select 10 purchase orders for
without proper authorisation. expenditure signed by a non-current assets and inspect
director before an order is them to ensure that they are
placed supported by an authorised
requisition.
Short descriptive passages are written setting out the various stages in the accounting system. For
example:
“When inventory falls below the reorder level, a pre-numbered purchase requisition is raised and
signed by the stores supervisor. This is passed to the purchasing department where three suppliers
are asked for prices. A three-part order is raised for the cheapest supplier and the order sign by the
purchasing manager”.
Narrative is quick to produce but lacks rigour and uniformity. For example, in the above system no
information has been given about where the purchase requisitions are stored or what happens each
of the three parts of the order.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 67
3.2 Flowcharts
A flowchart is drawn showing documents, files processes and controls. Standard symbols are used
and the process is much more formal. For example, every document introduced to the flowchart
should be accounted for eg by filing, sending to the next department, or sending outside the
organisation. A special symbol is used to identify controls as these are important for the audit.
Flowcharts can be time-consuming to draw and amend, but they produce very structured and well-
disciplined descriptions of the client’s system. Each symbol can be numbered and cross-referenced to
the internal control procedures and test procedures that have to be carried out.
Flowcharts would normally be reserved for larger more complex accounting systems.
3.3 Questionnaires
An internal control evaluation questionnaire (ICEQ) asks about control objectives. For example:
Flowchart
Question Answer Justification for answer
reference
Can purchase invoices be paid No Invoices are cancelled by the P10
twice? purchase ledger clerk when they
are paid.
Can despatches be made to No Copy despatch notes are S12
customers but not invoiced? maintained in numerical sequence
with copy invoice attached. This
file is periodically reviewed to
ensure invoicing is complete.
In ICEQs if questions are answered ‘No’ then that is good news for the auditor.
An internal control questionnaire (ICQ) asks if specific controls are present. For example:
Flowchart
Question Answer Justification for answer
reference
Are suppliers' invoices cancelled Yes Invoices are cancelled by the P10
after payment? purchase ledger clerk when they
are paid.
Are despatch notes matched to Yes Copy despatch notes are S12
invoices to ensure all despatches maintained in numerical sequence
are invoiced? with copy invoice attached. This
file is periodically reviewed to
ensure invoicing is complete.
ICEQs require a greater degree of skill to complete as they leave it up to the auditor to decide if a
control objective has been met in some way or other.
ICQs are simpler to answer, but can be inflexible as control objectives might be met by another
control procedure.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 68
4. Walk-though tests
Whenever documentation of a system has been completed for the first time, a walk-through test is
performed. This means that a particular transaction is followed through from start to finish to check
that the documentation is accurate. So a sales system would be verified by tracing from sales order,
despatch notes, invoice, receivables ledger, receipt of payment into the bank.
In subsequent years walk-through tests will be performed again to verify that the documentation still
accurately describes the accounting system.
5. Audit files
5.1 Introduction
It is essential that auditors carefully document all parts of their audit, including:
๏ Planning
๏ Information about the client
๏ The accounting system/internal control system
๏ Tests of controls
๏ Substantive procedures.
It is normal to divide the documentation over two files, the permanent audit file and the current audit
file.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 69
As its name might suggest, the permanent audit file holds information which is relatively permanent
and which can be carried forward from year to year.
As they progress through their work the audit team creates ‘working papers’ (now usually on
computer). Each working paper should show:
๏ The name of the client and the date of the financial statements being audited.
๏ The date of the test/procedure
๏ The aim of the test/procedure
๏ Cross referencing to ICQs or amounts in the financial statements
๏ The evidence obtained
๏ How exceptions, if any, were followed up
๏ The conclusions drawn
๏ The identity of the audit team member carrying out the test
๏ The identity of those who review the work and the dates of their reviews.
When the final audit is carried out, the draft financial statements will usually be placed at the
beginning of the file, and each figure will be referenced to files sections where details of the audit
work are set out.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 70
For example
Egremont Co
Statement of financial position 31/12/20X4
$000
Non-current assets F1 23,000
Current assets
Inventory S1 5,000
Receivables R1 3,000
Cash C1 2,500
Therefore, as the working papers are created, the cross-referencing system allows reviewers to easily
see the audit work carried out to test every relevant assertion.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 71
The staff who go to a client to perform the audit consist of an auditor in charge (sometimes called an
audit senior of supervisor) and usually one or more junior assistants.
The auditor senior delegates work to the assistants and then reviews the work that they have done by
examining the working papers. Sometimes it is decided to perform additional work if the initial results
are unsatisfactory. The reviewer will sign off each page reviewed, together with the date of the review.
When work at the client is completed, back at the auditor’s office the audit manager in charge of the
job will review the whole file again. More work or clarification might be requested at this stage also.
The audit manager signs off each page of working paper.
Finally, when all outstanding points have been completed, the audit file is reviewed by the partner in
charge. Usually it is the audit senior who takes the file to the partner because the partner will often
want to ask questions that only someone directly involved in examining client’s records can answer.
Sometimes, even at this late stage, the partner will request additional work to be performed.
The file has now been reviewed at least three times. If all is well with the file and the financial
statements, the partner will be prepared to sign the auditor’s report.
As part of auditors’ efforts to produce high quality work, most firms will engage in quality control
reviews. These are reviews of audits but they are carried out by a partner, or team of partners,
independent from the original audit. Often a partner from another office carries out the review.
๏ Cold review: this is carried out after the audit has been completed and the auditor’s report
signed. It will examine all aspects of the audit: risk assessment, planning, audit evidence,
conclusions, completion of all documentation and the auditor’s report. Any shortcomings in the
audit process will be documented and reported to the partner, manager and perhaps more
junior staff.
๏ Hot review: this is carried out before the auditor's report is signed and is therefore potentially
disruptive as all audit files have to be made available to the reviewers. It is usually performed if
risk assessment has shown that the audit, or some part of it, is high risk. This 'pre-issuance'
review therefore provides some additional safeguards that will be effective before the auditor’s
report is signed.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 72
Question 1
When are tests of control usually carried out?
A Interim audits
B Final audits
Question 2
What are the three ways of documenting an accounting system?
Question 3
What is a “walk though” test and what is it used for?
Question 4
In which document would each of the following questions typically appear?
1 Are goods checked against orders when received?
2 Can inventory be misappropriated?
Question 5
Is the following a control objective, a control activity or a test of control?
“All purchases of non-current assets exceeding $1,000 are authorised by the finance director”
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 73
Chapter 11
INTERNAL CONTROL
1. Introduction
The function of internal controls is to prevent or detect and correct errors in the accounting system.
The main control objectives aim to ensure that:
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 74
The purposes of internal control are to prevent errors, detect errors and fix errors. To accomplish this
effectively, management must be aware about where errors could occur and, in particular, where they
are likely to occur. High risk of errors implies that controls are necessary to counter that risk.
Furthermore, businesses do not stand still. They change and evolve as they try to remain successful or
to increase profits. As businesses change new risks will emerge and management has to devise new
controls.
For example:
(1) A business starts to export. Therefore there will be additional risks arising from exchange rate
fluctuations and that goods are damaged in transit.
(2) A business starts to trade over the internet. Therefore there are additional risks posed by hackers
and credit card fraud.
Examples of records in an information system which are relevant to financial reporting include
๏ Monthly management account allow comparisons to be made between actual and budget. If
actual expenses are running much higher, this might indicate an accounting error, or even
fraud.
๏ Aged receivables listings help with credit control and might prevent more goods being sent to
customers who are credit risks.
๏ Aged inventory listings will indicate which goods should be marked down for a quick sale and
which should not be ordered again.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 75
Generally, control activities relevant to an audit include the policies and procedures that relate to:
๏ Segregation of duties
๏ Authorisation
๏ Information processing
๏ Performance reviews
๏ Physical controls
Segregation of duties
‘Segregation of duties’ means that the authorisation of transactions, the recording of transactions and
the custody of assets should be assigned to different people. Therefore, for a purchase transaction,
each of the following should be done by a separate person:
๏ More than one person is involved so the errors of one are more likely to be identified by another.
๏ Fraud is more difficult because it would require cooperation (collusion) between several people.
Segregation of duties can be difficult for small businesses to achieve because they simply do not have
enough staff to allow transactions to be divided up. In small businesses more emphasis is placed on
the close supervision of owners and/or management.
Authorisation
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 76
Information processing
Application controls (ie controls over a specific application such as sales, purchases or payroll
processing) include:
Performance reviews
Physical controls
๏ Management should review whether bank reconciliations are properly prepared on a timely
basis. (If not monitored, staff are more likely to stop preparing them.)
๏ Internal audit will typically evaluate the effectiveness of internal control, report deficiencies and
make recommendations for improvements.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 77
4. Control deficiencies
3.1 Introduction
A control deficiency (weakness) can arise because a control has not been properly designed or not
properly carried out or is missing.
The auditor shall communicate in writing on a timely basis significant deficiencies in internal control
identified during the audit to those charged with governance and, unless inappropriate, to
management.
Examples of matters that the auditor may consider in determining whether a deficiency or
combination of deficiencies in internal control constitutes a significant deficiency include:
๏ The likelihood of the deficiencies leading to material misstatements in the financial statements
in the future.
๏ The susceptibility to loss or fraud of the related asset or liability.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 78
Question 1
What are the elements of an internal control system?
Question 2
What are the three sections of a management letter?
Question 3
What is meant by the term ‘segregation of duties?”
Question 4
Which one of the following is NOT a control activity?
A Authorisation
B Posting expense invoices to the Dr side of expense accounts
C Carrying out a bank reconciliation
D Ensuring anti-virus and anti-hacking programs always run on the IT system
Question 5
To whom should significant deficiencies in internal control be notified?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 79
Chapter 12
EXAMPLES OF INTERNAL CONTROL AND
TESTS OF CONTROL
1. Introduction
This chapter looks at internal control procedures commonly found in accounting systems relating to:
๏ Sales
๏ Purchases
๏ Wages and salaries
๏ Non-current assets
Think: “What could go wrong?” and try to devise a control that will prevent or detect errors.
The systems below are not universal, but they illustrate very typical approaches to internal controls.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 80
2. Sales
2.1 Overview
Order processing
Despatch
Receipt of payment
Controls therefore involve: examining the customer's most recent financial statements, enquiries to
credit reference agencies and the customer’s bank.
Orders should be compared to the customer’s balance and credit limit to ensure the credit limit is not
breached.
Order quantities should be compared to inventory levels to ensure that goods are available.
The customer should be informed if there is going to be a delay either because of credit or inventory
problems.
If these checks are passed, then a multi-part pre-numbered despatch note should be raised. One copy
will remain in number order in the order processing department. Other copies of the despatch notes
are passed to the warehouse.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 81
2.4 Despatch
The despatch notes are used to pick and pack the goods ordered. An independent check should be
performed in the warehouse to ensure that the goods conform to what was ordered.
One copy of the despatch can be packed with the goods (it will bear the customer’s order number so
that this can be checked when received by the customer).
One copy will go with the despatch as a gate release copy. As goods leave the company, there is often
a security gate where despatches are compared to despatch notes to ensure only authorised sales
leave the premises.
One copy can be sent to the accounting department for an invoice to be raised. One copy can go back
to the order processing department where it can be attached to the order to show that ordered goods
have been despatched.
The file of orders should be reviewed regularly for long-outstanding orders awaiting despatch; these
should be investigated.
The despatch note that accompanies the goods should be signed by the customer as proof of receipt
and returned to the company where it can be files in numerical order.
2.5 Invoicing
Invoices will be raised from the despatch notes and price lists. If manually raised, these should be
independently arithmetically checked.
One copy attached to the despatch note to ensure that all despatches are invoiced. This copy can also
be used to post the receivables ledger.
Invoices should be listed in a sales day book, then individual invoices posted to each customer’s
account. The sum of the sales day book can be posted to the receivables controls account. Regular
reconciliations should be performed between the controls account and the sum of the individual
ledger accounts.
Copy invoices should be marked “Posted” and a regular review should be carried out to ensure that all
invoices are accounted for and have been posted to the receivables ledger.
Receipts should be posted to each customer’s account and the cash book, and the sum of receipts
posted to the control account. Postings to the cash book should show the invoice number of the
invoice being paid
Aged receivables reports should be prepared regularly and slow payers followed up. A ‘Stop’ should
be placed on the accounts of very slow payers to prevent the situation deteriorating.
Statements should be sent each month to customers both to remind them of what they owe and also
to allow them to check the seller’s version of the account.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 82
3. Purchases
3.1 Overview
Order processing
Receipt of goods
Payment
A copy of the requisition note is passed to the purchasing department which will raise a sequentially
pre-numbered multi-part purchase order from a suitable supplier. The purchase price should be
stated on the order. One copy will stay in the purchasing department, one will go to the goods
received area of the warehouse and one copy will be sent to the supplier.
Long-outstanding orders and requisitions should be followed up: goods not received will hold up
production and jeopardise sales.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 83
When goods are received they should be checked to the order to ensure that they are what was
ordered, counted and inspected for damage. A multi-part good received note (GRN) will be raised
when goods are received. This can be attached to the order and the two documents passed to
accounts.
Stores records and purchase department records should be updated from the copy goods received
notes.
Inventory should passed to stores where it should be correctly placed in the correct location.
The GRN/order pair are in the accounting department, awaiting an invoice being received. When an
invoice is received it should be checked to these documents to ensure that only invoices for properly
ordered and received goods are processed. The invoice can be attached to the matched order/GRN.
Invoices should be analysed for expense category, input VAT etc. The analyses should be
independently checked.
Invoices will be listed in a purchases day book. Individual invoices will be credited to the appropriate
account in the purchase ledger, and the total of the purchases day book posted to the credit of the
payables ledger control account. Appropriate expenses accounts should be debited.
If Order/GRN pair are outstanding for a long period, the company should investigate why this is the
case and, if so, alert the supplier that an invoice seems to be missing.
Monthly statements received from suppliers should be reconciled to the payables balances.
3.6 Payment
Payments might be made to every supplier after a set period of time, or a list of invoices outstanding
might be printed out for manual approval and cash flow management.
Once payments have been made, the invoices should be stamped 'paid' or otherwise cancelled.
Payments should be debited to individual supplier accounts and the total payments debited to the
receivables control account.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 84
Authorised recruitment
Departure of employee
Some calculations are more complex. Hourly paid employees will be paid on the basis of time spent
working and there might be overtime and shift allowances. In this case, there should be controls to
ensure that staff are only paid for time or output. Typically, clock cards are used to allow the employee
to record arrival time and leaving time on a time recording system. This has to be monitored to ensure
that employees don’t clock each other out and in to inflate their hours.
Based on salaries or hourly rates/time, gross pay, tax and other deductions can be calculated. If this is
done manually, it will have to be independently checked. Normally it will be done by computer.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 85
The payroll amounts should be scrutinised by a senior member of management who will be looking
for consistencies with previous periods.
If wages are paid by cash, the payroll cash should be held securely until paid out. Employees need to
present identification and must sign when they receive their wages. Special arrangements should be
in place to allow substitute employees to pick up wages on behalf of absent colleagues.
Every month, a senior member of management should ensure that deductions are paid over to the
tax authorities etc.
There should be standard systems and documentation in place to ensure that details of all leaving
employees are sent to the payroll department.
Every year, all managers should be circulated with a list of their employees who are on the wages
system and they should verify that the employee is still actually employed and that the rate of pay is
correct.
5. Non-current assets
5.1 Overview
Order processing
Receipt of goods
Payment
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 86
The controls needed here are very similar to those for other purchases, but there will be differences.
(1) Capital expenditure is usually carefully budgeted because it is a long-term investment (whereas
purchases of goods for resale should produce revenue reasonably quickly). Therefore,
expenditure needs to be authorised by senior management or the board.
(2) Once a non-current asset is bought, the company is ‘stuck with it’ for some years, so it important
to choose carefully.
(3) A single purchase can be for a significant amount, so it is important to get competitive quotes.
(4) The assets should be inspected every year to ensure that they are still there and are still being
used.
As for the sales system, there must be controls to ensure that disposals of non-current assets are
approved and completely and accurately recorded.
6. Tests of control
The precise internal control systems used by the client will be documented by the auditor. As
previously described the auditor can use narrative, flowcharts ICQs or ICEQs (or a combination of
methods).
The consistent and effective operation of the controls then needs to be tested: the auditor has to
collect evidence that the control is operating properly.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 87
Some examples of evidence of controls operating were given in chapter 6. Here are some more
examples of audit tests that tie in to some of the systems described above:
Wages and salaries All clocking-in and clocking-out by Observe staff arriving and leaving on
staff is supervised by the factory 3 separate days to ensure the
manager. processes are supervised by the
factory manager.
[A control procedure to meet the
control objective that unworked
hours are not paid for.]
Non-current assets All non-current assets of with a Inspect 10 records in the asset
carrying amount >$1,000 should are register with carrying amount
physically verified each year for >$1,000 to ensure that the physical
existence and continued use. inspection date noted is within the
previous12 months
[A control procedure to meet the
control objective that assets are
safeguarded]
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 88
Question 1
What are the four ways in which internal control can be tested?
Question 2
What is meant by the term ‘audit trail’
Question 3
State FOUR objectives of the internal control that should be exercised over the purchases and
trade payables system.
Question 4
Describe three internal control objectives of a wages and salaries system.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 89
Chapter 13
SUBSTANTIVE PROCEDURES
1. Introduction
Substantive procedures are generally carried out during the final audit when the draft financial
statements have been produced. Each material amount on the statements has to be audited for all
relevant assertions.
๏ Analytical procedures
๏ Enquiry and confirmation
๏ Inspection
๏ Observation
๏ RecalcUlation and reperformance.
๏ Inventory
๏ Receivables
๏ Cash
๏ Trade payables
๏ Accruals and prepayments
๏ Non-current assets
๏ Contingent liabilities and assets
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 90
2. Inventory
2.1 Introduction
Inventory is one of the most challenging items to audit. There are difficulties ensuring that the
physical quantities are correct and then ensuring that inventory is properly valued at the lower of cost
and net realisable value. Valuation is more involved than looking at purchase invoices for
manufactured goods and work-in-progress.
If inventory is material to the financial statements, it is normal to have a year-end stock take and the
auditor will normally attend this. It is not the auditor’s responsibility to count the stock (that is the
responsibility of client’s staff) but the auditor has to observe the stocktake and to ensure that it is
begin carried out correctly so that the results can be relied upon. The auditor will perform a few test
counts only.
The normal sequence of a stock take and the auditor’s involvement is as follows:
๏ Instructions should be issued to client staff and they should be briefed about how the count
should proceed. This is important because counts might be done only once per year so it is not a
process with which staff are familiar. Many staff might not have been involved previously. The
auditor must review the instructions and make recommendations to the client as necessary.
๏ The count should be planned for a date and time when stock movements are not taking place.
New Year’s Day is often chosen (popular with both client staff and auditors!)
๏ Inventory has to be sorted, tidied and arranged in an orderly fashion. This might be relatively
easy in a retail environment, but think how difficult it can be in an engineering company, a
builder’s premises or a wood yard.
๏ Damaged inventory should be identified and labelled.
๏ Each inventory location should be labelled and the labels should have space for:
‣ Location reference/description
‣ Product code
‣ Product description
‣ Quantity counted
‣ Count sheet number
‣ Initials/signature of 1st counter
‣ Initials/signature of 2nd counter
๏ Counters should be in teams of two. Both counters should not be from stores because they can
have incentive to cover-up stock shortfalls. If both counters are from the accounting
department, they are less likely to be able to identify properly what they are counting. A mixed
pair is good: one from stores, one from accounts.
๏ Sequentially pre-numbered count sheets are issued to each counting team and the count
progresses. The label in each inventory location is filled in as are the stock sheets with produce
description and quantities. The stock sheets and location labels are cross-referenced.
๏ The auditor should perform some test counts: from stock locations, recount and trace details to
the count sheets (completeness assertion), and from stock sheets trace to stock locations and
recount (existence assertion). Discrepancies should be noted.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 91
๏ The auditor should make a note of the few goods received notes and despatch notes issued in
the year. These will be used later for cut-off tests (see below).
๏ The auditor should be alert to any inventory that seems to be damaged and should make a note
of this and raise the matter at the time with the manager in charge of the count.
๏ All count sheets should be collected in and the numerical sequence verified as being complete.
The inventory now needs to be valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.
The cost of purchased goods can be established by inspecting recent purchase invoices.
The cost of manufactured goods and work-in-progress should include material, labour and
production overheads. The auditor will have to examine the cost accounting records to check on
production times, wage rates and overhead absorption rates. Although the auditor can inspect WIP it
will be difficult to ascertain its degree of completion. If material, the auditor may ask management for
written representation about its completion stage (see Chapter 14).
๏ The auditor should identify slow-moving lines of inventory by examining stock records and also
by calculating days of inventory as at year end. An increase in this ratio might indicate that
inventory will not sell easily and might have to be written down in value.
๏ The auditor will review records relating to damaged stock identified during the stock-take.
๏ The auditor can use analytical procedures to determine if the days of inventory seem to be high.
๏ The auditor can look at post year-end sales to ensure that the selling prices of inventory are
above cost.
Once all costs/NRVs have been determined and entered on the count sheets, the value of each line of
inventory can be worked out (eg quantity x cost) and the values added up. It is essential that the
auditor reperforms these calculations. Remember, every extra $1 in inventory value is an extra $1 on
profit.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 92
2.4 Cut-off
Cut-off is one of the assertions: it means that that transactions should be recorded in the correct
period. For example, sales made in January 20X4 should not be included as revenue in the 12 months
ended 31/12/20X3.
Correct cut-off on sales ensures consistency with receivables and inventory. Correct cut-off on
purchases ensures consistency with payables and inventory.
For example, goods might have been despatched around 28/12/20X4, but not invoiced until January
20X5. Generally, the sale is to be recognised when goods are despatched. The goods will not have
been counted in closing inventory at 31/12/20X4, yet the sale might not have been recognised until
the invoice was issued in the following year (Dr Receivables Cr Sales).
Similarly, goods might have been received 27/12/20X4, but the invoice not received until January
20X5. The goods will be in closing inventory (they are physically present), but the purchase will not
have been put through the accounts (Dr Purchases Cr Supplier) until the invoice is received.
If the invoice was received before year end, the liability (payable) will have been be accounted for
provided all invoices are posted. If the invoice is not received until after year end, an accrual should be
established (ie Dr Purchases, Cr 'Goods received - not invoiced' accrual).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 93
Some businesses, like retail businesses which keep cash for sales registers, will have more material
amounts and some of these should be counted by the auditor on a test basis.
For most businesses, their material amounts of cash will be on deposit or in current accounts at their
bank(s). The standard procedure is to obtain a 'bank report for audit purposes' ('bank certificate') from
clients’ banks setting out the balances and any security that the bank has for loans. A bank certificate
is very reliable audit evidence.
The amount certified by the bank is not necessarily the amount that will appear in the statement of
financial position and a bank reconciliation will have to be performed by the client and re-performed
by the auditor to ensure that the cash book balance (ie the amount in the financial statements) can be
reconciled to the bank certificate.
4. Trade Receivables
4.1 Introduction
Receivables are likely to be material when businesses make sales on credit. A particular difficulty is to
test the valuation assertion as sometimes receivables ‘go bad’ and will never be paid.
First, the auditor must ensure that the receivables figure in the financial statements is based on the
sum of individual customer balances. The assets being audited are the individual receivables balances
– not the total balance. If the control account and the sum of the individual balances do not reconcile,
there is no basis for the receivables figure in the financial statements.
Then a sample of receivables balances is chosen. Typically this will be a stratified sample. Say that the
receivables balances were as follows:
Balances
Number of customers
$
20 >100,000
50 20,000 – 100,000
200 <20,000
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 94
In addition, customers with credit balances and very old balances would be circularised, as would a
selection of customers with Nil balances.
A request for confirmation will usually include management's authorisation or encouragement for the
customer to disclose confidential information to the auditor. The auditor must have control over
sending the requests and receive responses directly.
๏ Positive – requests a reply from everyone who has been written to, whether or not they
agree with the balance. This is most suitable where the risk of misstatement is
high (e.g. weak internal controls, errors expected or suspicion of irregularity or
disputed amounts).
๏ Negative – requests a reply only if the customer disagrees with the balance. This type is
appropriate when control risk is low (i.e. errors are not expected), there is a
large proportion of smaller balances and customers are not expected to ignore
the request.
A positive request provides more conclusive evidence. For a negative request, the auditor can never
be sure that no reply means agreement rather than that the customer has simply not bothered to
reply.
If sending positive requests (only), after a couple of weeks, with the client’s permission, customers
who have not replied will be sent a reminder letter by the auditor. If there is still no reply then, for very
material receivable balances, and again with client’s permission, the auditor might attempt to get
telephone confirmation.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 95
Even if a positive reply confirms agreement of amounts owing (which is important) it does not give
any assurance that the debt will be paid.
๏ Examining aged receivables reports. Allowances may need to be made for overdue debts and
very old debts should be written off if expected to be irrecoverable.
๏ Performing analytical procedures on receivables balances. For example, average collection
period (days).
๏ Reviewing cash receipts after year end. If the full amount is received after year end there is
obviously no valuation problem at year end.
๏ Reviewing correspondence with customers and lawyers for evidence of disputed amounts that
may not be paid.
๏ Reviewing board minutes (large debts that might go bad are probably discussed at board
meetings).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 96
5. Trade payables
5.1 Introduction
Many of the audit procedures that are carried out on trade payables balance are similar in principle to
those that are carried out on receivables balances. However, the auditor will be most concerned
about the completeness assertion - how to detect a liability (and corresponding expense) that is
missing? The first essential step is to ensure that the trade payables figure in the financial statements
reconciles to the sum of the individual payables balances.
In many countries it is common for suppliers to send monthly statements of account to their
customers. An important internal control is that the client should reconcile these statements to the
individual payables balances. Reconciling items might include:
If monthly statements are not available, the auditor may send a request to suppliers asking for a
statement and then reconcile the balances.
Payments made in the first month or so after year end should examined. Payments will be traced to
purchase invoices and, if they relate to an expense in the year being audited, they must be included in
either the payables ledger or accrued expenses.
Analytical procedures such as the calculation of payables days and comparison with previous ratios
might indicate that payables are incorrect.
Because of the difficulty in ensuring that all liabilities have been included, in addition to the work
described above, it is normal to ask management to give a written representation to the effect that all
liabilities have been included in the financial statements. (see Chapter 14)
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 97
These are often, but not always relatively small amounts. If so audit work can be kept to a minimum.
Very often they will be similar to previous year’s figures.
6.2 Prepayments
๏ Look at the previous year’s audit file. Many payments are standard (eg car insurance always paid
1 June for the next 12 months) so there is an expectation for last year’s prepayments to be
similar to last periods (adjusted for inflation).
๏ Inspect invoices paid in the last few months of the period (where more months likely to be
prepaid).
6.3 Accruals
๏ Look at the previous year’s audit file. Many payments are standard (eg electricity always paid
28/2 for the previous three months, so there is an expectation for last year’s accruals to be
similar to last periods (adjusted for inflation).
๏ Inspect invoices and payments in the first few months after the year end. If they relate to
expenses in the current year and are not included in the payables ledger at the year end, they
must be accrued.
๏ Include a representation about the completeness of liabilities in the letter of representation.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 98
7. Non-current assets
7.1 Acquisitions and disposals
7.2 Ownership
Verify ownership by inspecting documents of title, such as land registry entries for land and buildings.
Verify existence by inspecting assets. Verify completeness by reconciling the figures in the financial
statements to the sum of the items in the non-current ('fixed') asset register.
7.5 Valuation
Verify valuation by inspecting depreciation rates and ensuring these are with industry norms and are
consistent with previous years. Recalculate depreciation for a sample of assets.
Perform a 'test in total' (an example of an analytical procedure) to verify that the total depreciation
expense for each type of asset is reasonable.
Inspect assets to ensure that they appear to be in working order and that they are still used by the
company.
Obtain management's written representations that they do not intend to dispose of major assets in
the near future (eg by closing down part of the business). That might require the assets to be carried
at a disposal value rather than cost less depreciation.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 99
A contingent liability is a possible liability arising from past events but the existence of that liability
will only be confirmed by future events.
So, for the financial statements to 31/12/20X4, the event has happened. However, the outcome of the
court case will not be known until long after the year end and after the audit will be complete.
Accounting for contingent liabilities depends on the likelihood (probability) of having to make a
payment to settle it:
The auditor has to collect evidence about the likelihood that an amount will have to be paid and the
best estimate of that amount (unless the likelihood is remote).
๏ Board minutes
๏ Correspondence with the claimant and his/her lawyers
๏ Correspondence with the client’s own lawyers
๏ Written representations.
Occasionally, the auditor might seek expert evidence directly by asking a suitably experienced lawyer
for an opinion.
A contingent asset is a possible asset arising from past events but whose existence will only be
confirmed by future events.
Accounting for contingent assets similarly depends on the likelihood of the asset materialising - but is
more cautious ('prudent'):
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 100
Question 1
Why is it important to ensure that the receivables and payables control accounts (total
receivables and total payables accounts) reconcile to the sum of the balances in the receivables
and payables ledger?
Question 2
At a stock take it is the auditor’s responsibility to count the inventory.
True/False
Question 3
Why do auditors take an interest in cash received from customers after year end?
Question 4
Why do auditors take an interest in payments made in the first month of the next financial
period?
Question 5
What evidence would you look for to verify the valuation of a non-current asset bought in the
period?
Question 6
A goods received not is dated 24/12/20X4. An invoice for the goods is received 15/1/20X5.
What is the correct treatment of this transaction in the financial statements to 31/12/20X4?
A Goods not included in inventory; no expense; no purchase.
B Goods included in inventory; no expense; no purchase.
C Goods included in inventory; expense in purchases; purchase reserve established.
D Goods included in inventory; expense in purchases; supplier’s account credited.
Question 7
A customer of a client slipped on a wet floor on 1/9/20X4 and is suing your client. Legal advice
suggests that your client will possibly have to pay compensation of $25,000.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 101
Chapter 14
AUDIT COMPLETION
1. Introduction
Until the auditor’s report is signed, the auditors have an active duty to look for evidence or events that
might alter their opinion on the financial statements
๏ Subsequent events
๏ Going concern
๏ Written representations
2. Subsequent events
2.1 Introduction
Imagine that a set of financial statements has been produced for the year to 31/12/20X4 and then on
15/1/20X5, the company has a really bad day:
๏ A customer who owed $250,000 as at 31/12/20X4, and who has paid nothing subsequently,
goes into liquidation with little chance of creditors receiving anything;
๏ The company’s factory burns down.
Otherwise the event is a non-adjusting event. No adjustments are made to the profit and loss
account and statement of financial position, but if material the matter should be disclosed in notes to
the financial statements.
Therefore the treatment of the two incidents outlined above will be:
๏ The customer who went into liquidation must have been in a poor state at the year end and the
debt was to all intents and purposes irrecoverable then. Going into liquidation gives evidence
about the debt’s valuation as at 31/12/20X4. Therefore, write down the debt as at 31/12/20X4.
๏ The factory destruction happened 15/12/20X5, but the factory was perfectly ‘fine’ and existed
on 31/12/20X4. This is a non-adjusting event. Because it is so serious, a note would be added to
the financial statements disclosing the fire and its financial impact.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 102
Until the auditor’s report is signed (ie the auditor has fulfilled his duty to report) the auditor has an
‘active’ duty to consider subsequent events. The auditor must obtain sufficient appropriate audit
evidence to ensure that events after the reporting date have been:
Additional procedures may be considered necessary. For example, making specific inquiry of the
client’s lawyer about developments in a legal case since the year end.
3. Going concern
Financial statements are normally drawn up on a going concern basis which is the assumption that
the organisation will continue trading in the foreseeable future (usually taken to be 12 months).
If there is doubt about whether the going concern assumption is valid, then this should be disclosed
in a note in the financial statements.
If it looks inevitable that the organisation will soon fail, then the financial statements should be drawn
up on a break-up basis.
It is management’s responsibility when preparing the financial statements to review the company’s
going concern position and the auditor must audit management’s conclusions.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 103
๏ Review the work that management has carried out on going concern
๏ Obtain cash flow forecasts and budgets for the forthcoming 12 months and review the
assumptions on which these are based.
๏ Examine the trading pattern of the first weeks (or months) after the period end to ensure that
this appears adequate to support a going concern assumption.
๏ Calculation of liquidity interest cover and gearing ratios
๏ Review correspondence with the company’s bankers.
๏ Obtain written representation of management's plans for future actions that support the going
concern assumption.
4. Written representation
This is a letter sent by management to the auditor, just before the auditor signs the auditor’s report. It
is an essential piece of audit evidence.
The auditor must obtain written representations to confirm the responsibilities of management (and
those charged with governance):
๏ That they have properly prepared and presented the financial statements
๏ That they have provided complete information to the auditor.
๏ That all transactions have been recorded.
Other representations may be required to support other audit evidence. But they cannot substitute
for other audit evidence. For example:
These examples illustrate how written representations support the assertion of completeness.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 104
Question 1
How long is ‘foreseeable future’ for going concern purposes?
Question 2
Sales revenue has fallen rapidly in the first few months after the year end.
Question 3
A written representation is no substitute for other audit evidence, so auditors will be prepared to sign
an auditor’s report without receiving written representations.
Question 4
A flood of the client’s warehouse occurs on 23/1/20X5 ruining most of the inventory, which is material
to the financial statements.
Is it an adjusting event?
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 105
Chapter 15
THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT
1. Introduction
Chapter 1 introduced the sections that you would expect to see in any auditor's report. This chapter
looks at:
Note that the terms 'auditor's report' and 'audit opinion' are not the same thing. The audit opinion is
only the first section of an auditor's report. It is followed by a 'basis for opinion' section and sections
detailing the respective responsibilities of management and the auditor (see Illustrative example in
Chapter 1).
2. Additional paragraphs
2.1 Emphasis of matter
An emphasis of matter is a paragraph in the auditor’s report which draws attention to some matter
already properly disclosed within the financial statements. Such a paragraph does not affect the
audit opinion: it is simply drawing attention to an important note in the financial statements that
shareholders ought to be aware of to properly appreciate the financial statements.
Here is an example:
We draw attention to Note 27 to the financial statements, which describes the effects of a fire in
the Company's warehouse. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
If the matter had not been disclosed properly then the opinion paragraph would have to be modified
(see later).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 106
If a material uncertainty exists which is adequately disclosed in the financial statements, the auditor
is required to draw attention to the related disclosure in a separate section of the auditor's report
headed “Material Uncertainty Related to Going Concern”.
For example:
We draw attention to Note 6 in the financial statements, which indicates that the Company
incurred a net loss of ZZZ during the year ended December 31, 20X1 and, as of that date, the
Company’s current liabilities exceeded its total assets by YYY. As stated in Note 6, these events
or conditions, along with other matters as set forth in Note 6, indicate that a material
uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a
going concern. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
๏ If material misstatements are so many and so severe that in the auditor’s opinion the financial
statements, as a whole, do not show a true and fair view, the auditor will state this in an
adverse opinion.
๏ If a lack of sufficient appropriate audit evidence is so extensive that the auditor cannot form an
opinion on whether the financial statement, as a whole, show a true and fair view, the auditor
will state this in a disclaimer of opinion.
Note that these expressions of opinion relate to matters that affect the financial statements ‘as a
whole’ – the term to describe such matters is that they are pervasive.
If matters are material but not pervasive, the auditor will be able to conclude ‘except for … [problem]
… the financial statements show a true and fair view …’. This is a qualified opinion.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 107
If the opinion is unmodified, the opinion paragraph is headed up ‘Opinion’. However, to warn users
that something is amiss, this paragraph’s title changes when the opinion is modified:
๏ ‘Qualified opinion’,
๏ ‘Adverse opinion’ or
๏ ‘Disclaimer of opinion’
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 108
Basis for qualified opinion We were unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence about
the carrying amount of inventories because we were unable to
attend the count of physical inventories at 31 December 20X1.
Therefore, we were unable to determine whether any
adjustments to this amount was necessary.
Adverse opinion
Adverse opinion In our opinion, because of the significance of the matter
described in the Basis for Adverse Opinion section of our report,
the accompanying financial statements do not present fairly...
Basis for adverse opinion The Company's financing arrangements expired ... and is
considering filing for bankruptcy ... a material uncertainty exists...
The financial statements do not adequately disclose this fact ...
Disclaimer of opinion
Disclaimer of opinion We do not express an opinion on the accompany financial
statements. Because of the significance of the matters described
in the Basis for Qualified Opinion section of our report, we have
not be able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to
provide a basis for an audit opinion on these financial
statements.
Basis for disclaimer of opinion We were not appointed as auditors of the Company until [date]
and thus did not observe the physical inventory counts at the
beginning and end of the year...
In addition, the introduction of a new computerised system in
[date] resulted in numerous errors in accounts receivable this
report ...
Note that, wherever possible, the auditor will quantify and state the effects on the financial
statements of the matter(s).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 109
Question 1
What are the three types of modified audit opinion?
Question 2
What additional paragraphs may included in an auditor's report that do not affect the audit
opinion?
Question 3
What term describes a matter that results in an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion?
Question 4
The ‘opinion’ paragraph in an auditor’s report contains the phrase ‘Except for…… the financial
statements show a true and fair view….”.
Question 5
There are going concern doubts about a company’s future. These are adequately disclosed in a note
to the financial statements.
What should the auditor's report include?
A Qualified opinion
B Adverse opinion
C Emphasis of matter
D Material uncertainty relating to going concern
Question 6
There are going concern doubts about a company’s future. These are not disclosed in the financial
statements.
What should the auditor's report include?
A Qualified opinion
B Adverse opinion
C Emphasis of matter
D Material uncertainty relating to going concern
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 110
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 111
ANSWERS TO TESTS
Chapter 1
Question 1
False. Auditors can be removed only by the members of the company.
Question 2
B, C
Question 3
B, C, E
Question 4
Directors = agents; shareholders = principals
Question 5
Annually
Question 6
True. Auditors can speak on matters relevant to the financial statements and their audit.
Question 7
A statement of circumstances is provided by an auditor upon resignation of removal explaining why
the resignation/removal has taken place.
Chapter 2
Question 1
Integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, professional conduct and due care, professional behaviour.
Question 2
True
Question 3
There are fundamental ethical principles. These are subject to threats. The threats can be reduced or
avoided by appropriate safeguards.
Question 4
Self-interest, self-review, advocacy, familiarity, intimidation.
Question 5
With the client’s permission, legal duty, legal or professional right, a public duty.
Question 6
C
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 112
Chapter 3
Question 1
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB).
Question 2
False. ISAs do not override national laws or regulations.
Question 3
True
Question 4
D
Question 5
False. In fact they must communicate with the outgoing auditors.
Question 6
(1) Ensure that it the firm is professionally qualified to act on both ethical and legal grounds.
(2) Ensure that existing resources are adequate to cover both the required expertise and the time
that the new work will take.
Question 7
It is the contract between the auditor and client. It sets out requirements, responsibilities, duties, fees
and timings.
Question 8
C
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 113
Chapter 4
Question 1
Inherent risk, control risk and detection risk. The auditor can most easily alter the detection risk by
altering the amount of audit work to be carried out.
Question 2
No, it is management’s responsibility. However, the auditor should detect material misstatements
whether caused by error or fraud.
Question 3
Profession scepticism means not knowing. Evidence is needed before the auditor can make a decision
about an item in the financial statements. It does not mean distrusting everyone, but means that
auditors are aware that honest errors are made.
Question 4
B, D
Inexperienced auditors would not affect error rates in the draft statements prepared by the client’s
accounting staff.)
Question 5
½ - 1% of revenue; 1 – 2% of total assets; 5 -10% of profit before tax.
Chapter 5
Question 1
Analytical procedures; tests of detail.
Question 2
A Tests of control. (B is a risk assessment procedure. C is a test of details. D is a substantive
analytical procedure.)
Question 3
False. Some substantive procedures must always be carried out.
Question 4
A management letter will be sent by the auditors to the company’s management explaining:
๏ The nature of the internal control weakness.
๏ The possible consequences
๏ How the internal control deficiency can be fixed.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 114
Chapter 6
Question 1
๏ Occurrence
๏ Completeness
๏ Accuracy
๏ Cut-off
๏ Classification
๏ Presentation
Question 2
๏ Existence
๏ Rights and obligations
๏ Completeness
๏ Accuracy, valuation and allocation
๏ Classification
๏ Presentation
Question 3
Analytical procedures
Enquiry and confirmation
Inspection
Observation
Recalculation and reperformance
Question 4
An auditor requires sufficient appropriate audit evidence that the financial statements are free from
material misstatement.
Question 5
Written
Auditor direct obtained
External
Originals
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 115
Chapter 7
Question 1
Each item in the population must have an equal chance of selection (ie sample selection must be
random) and probability theory must be used to evaluate the sample results.
Question 2
The population is divided into strata and separate rules are established for drawing samples from
each stratum. For example, 50% of the population sampled where balances >$20,000, 20% for
balances 10,000 – 20,000, 50 items for balances < 10,000.
Question 3
N or S
Haphazard N
Monetary unit S
Systematic S
Block N
Question 4
Increase sample size.
Question 5
Increase the standard of training, assignment of work to more experienced staff, better direction,
supervision and review.
Chapter 8
Question 1
The main function of internal audit is to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of internal control.
Question 2
The internal audit function must be objective, competent and apply a systematic and disciplined
approach.
Question 3
Both types of expert have expertise in a field other than accounting or auditing. Management’s expert
assists management in preparing the financial statements. An auditor’s expert assists the auditor
in obtaining sufficient appropriate audit evidence.
Question 4
๏ To evaluate the work of management’s expert.
๏ If management does not have necessary expertise/a management expert.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 116
Chapter 9
Question 1
Test data is data designed by the auditor to test the operation of a client's accounting program.
Question 2
Test data (TD) or audit software (AS):
Question 3
B, D
Question 4
C
Chapter 10
Question 1
Tests of control are usually carried out at the interim audit stage.
Question 2
Narrative, flowcharts and questionnaires (ICQs and ICEQs)
Question 3
A walk through test is when a transaction is ‘walked though’ the system. These tests are used to verify
the accuracy of the recording and understanding of the system
Question 4
1 Are goods checked against orders when received? ICQ
2 Can inventory be misappropriated? ICEQ
Question 5
Control activity - a component of internal control.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 117
Chapter 11
Question 1
๏ The control environment
๏ Risk assessment process
๏ Information systems
๏ Control activities
๏ Monitoring of controls
Question 2
Internal control deficiency Potential consequences Recommendation
Question 3
Segregation of duties means that the authorisation of transactions, the recording of transactions and
the custody of assets should be assigned to different people.
Question 4
B (this is just transaction processing).
Question 5
Significant control weaknesses should be notified to those charged with governance.
Chapter 12
Question 1
๏ Enquiry and confirmation
๏ Inspection
๏ Observation
๏ Re-performance
Question 2
The ability to trace a transaction forwards and backwards through the accounting system.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 118
Question 3
The objectives of the internal control system in purchases and trade payables are (only four required):
(1) To ensure that only necessary goods and services are purchased
(2) To ensure that all goods and services bought are received by the company
(3) To ensure that goods and services are bought from approved suppliers or are bought on the
basis of competitive tendering.
(4) To ensure that goods and services bought are of sufficient quality.
(5) To ensure that goods are bought at the correct time to prevent stock-outs and over-stocking.
(6) To ensure that goods and services are bought at competitive trading terms taking into account
price, quality, and payment terms.
(7) To ensure that all purchase transactions are accurately and completely recorded in the
company’s accounting records.
(8) To ensure that payments are made only in respect of goods or services properly ordered and
received.
Question 4
(Only three required)
(1) To ensure that employees are properly paid for work performed.
(4) To ensure wage and salary calculations are carried out correctly.
(5) To ensure that overtime and bonuses etc cannot be paid without authorisation.
(6) To ensure cash or credit transfers are paid to the correct employees
(7) To ensure that deductions (such as income tax) are paid on time to the authorities.
(8) To ensure that payments do not continue to employees who have left.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 119
Chapter 13
Question 1
The receivables and payables figures in the statement of financial position are made up of many
individual balances. Only the individual amounts owing from customers or owing to suppliers can be
audited. Therefore it is important to know that what’s being audited agrees with the figures in the
financial statements.
Question 2
It is the client’s responsibility to count inventory. The auditor observes the process.
Question 3
Cash received after year end provides evidence concerning the valuation of receivables.
Question 4
This will provide evidence about the completeness of accruals and other liabilities.
Question 5
Purchase price – inspect invoice
Depreciation – inspect company accounting policy for that class of asset
Depreciation – reperform the calculations
Depreciation – ensure machine is being used and the impairment (write-down) is not needed
(unlikely for a new machine)
Question 6
C
Question 2
This is a possible outflow of resources so should be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
No expense/liability should be set up
Chapter 14
Question 1
12 months from the date of the statement of financial position.
Question 2
Yes. For example, it calls into question the valuation of year-end inventory.
Question 3
False. The auditor must obtain written representations to confirm the responsibilities of management
(even if no other representations were required). Think: why won’t the directors provide these
representations? Are they hiding something?
Question 4
It is a non-adjusting event. Warehouse and inventory were all fine at 31/12/20X4.
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community
FIA FAU December 2019 and June 2020 120
Chapter 15
Question 1
Qualified; adverse; disclaimer.
Question 2
Emphasis of matter; Material uncertainty relating to going concern
Question 3
Pervasive
Question 4
B
Question 5
D
A 'Material uncertainty relating to going concern' section will be added to drawn attention to the
disclosure.
Question 6
A
'Except for ... [description of what should have been disclosed] ...'
An adverse opinion would only be appropriate when there is more that 'doubt' (ie the auditor
concludes that the going concern basis of preparation is not appropriate).
Only on OpenTuition you can find: Free ACCA notes • Free ACCA lectures • Free ACCA tests • Free ACCA tutor support • The largest ACCA community