Lecture 4- The audit process- offsite work (2)

Second stage of audit process is [blank_start]planning audit[blank_end]

When planning audit, minimising [blank_start]audit risk[blank_end] should be thought about. When looking at minimising [blank_start]audit risk[blank_end] some things need to be thought about such as [blank_start]pre-engagement[blank_end] work (work that happens [blank_start]before[blank_end] auditor gets into [blank_start]audit[blank_end] appointment), [blank_start]post-engagement[blank_end] work (think about [blank_start]pre detailed[blank_end] work so understand [blank_start]entity[blank_end], [blank_start]plan[blank_end] work & [blank_start]design[blank_end] audit procedures)

In pre-engagement process, [blank_start]auditors[blank_end] firstly determine whether entity fits their [blank_start]risk[blank_end] profile before [blank_start]accepting[blank_end] engagement. Also, auditors need to consider [blank_start]independence[blank_end] of audit firm & ability to perform work for [blank_start]fee[blank_end]. If not happy do not [blank_start]engage[blank_end], if happy send an [blank_start]engagement letter[blank_end]

In post engagement process, [blank_start]auditors[blank_end] need to understand [blank_start]entity[blank_end] & its [blank_start]environment[blank_end]. Therefore, they need to build up [blank_start]broad[blank_end] understanding of what [blank_start]entity[blank_end] does, go into more [blank_start]detailed[blank_end] understanding of [blank_start]entity[blank_end] & think about [blank_start]internal[blank_end] controls. Going through this process helps [blank_start]auditor[blank_end] plan their work to minimise [blank_start]detection[blank_end] risk

To build up [blank_start]broad[blank_end] understanding, [blank_start]auditors[blank_end] need to meet members of [blank_start]board[blank_end], meet members of [blank_start]audit committee[blank_end], meet head of [blank_start]internal audit[blank_end] & perform [blank_start]analytical[blank_end] procedures. By meeting these individuals & getting an understanding, it helps [blank_start]auditors[blank_end] see key issues or areas they want to [blank_start]focus[blank_end] on in entity

To build up more [blank_start]detailed[blank_end] understanding, [blank_start]auditors[blank_end] need to think about [blank_start]industrial[blank_end] or [blank_start]commercial[blank_end] sector entity operates in & related [blank_start]risk[blank_end], impact of [blank_start]technological change[blank_end] on industry, public interest entity, growing or declining entity, [blank_start]objectives[blank_end] of entity & how [blank_start]achieving[blank_end] them, financing/gearing, [blank_start]nature[blank_end] of its transactions, subsidiaries/associated companies/investments & [blank_start]experience[blank_end] & [blank_start]length[blank_end] of tenure of management/employees. This information would be included in audit planning [blank_start]memorandum[blank_end]

In looking at [blank_start]internal[blank_end] control of entity, [blank_start]auditors[blank_end] need to think about entity’s control [blank_start]environment[blank_end], entity’s [blank_start]risk assessment[blank_end] process, entity’s [blank_start]information[blank_end] system, [blank_start]effectiveness[blank_end] of audit committee & [blank_start]internal[blank_end] audit function (if they have one) & control [blank_start]activities[blank_end] relevant to audit. This would be included in audit planning [blank_start]memorandum[blank_end]

When considering who should form engagement team you need to consider [blank_start]experience[blank_end], [blank_start]skills[blank_end], [blank_start]location[blank_end] & use of [blank_start]internal audit[blank_end]

Auditors need to think about [blank_start]designing[blank_end] detailed audit programmes. There will be emphasis on [blank_start]intention[blank_end] to rely on [blank_start]internal[blank_end] controls (make sure controls are working [blank_start]effectively[blank_end]), distinction between [blank_start]major[blank_end] & [blank_start]minor[blank_end] systems & think about level of [blank_start]substantive[blank_end] testing (related to how much [blank_start]detailed[blank_end] testing needs to be completed)

In relation to testing [blank_start]internal[blank_end] controls, auditors intend to rely on their [blank_start]operation[blank_end] to reduce risk of [blank_start]misstatement[blank_end] at assertion level. So auditors have detailed [blank_start]substantive[blank_end] procedures that will not provide [blank_start]sufficient[blank_end] evidence alone at assertion level. Therefore, auditors may need to do [blank_start]more[blank_end] work on [blank_start]tests[blank_end] they have done

Substantive procedures include [blank_start]analytical[blank_end] reviews (i.e. comparing [blank_start]figures[blank_end] from this year & last year), [blank_start]detailed[blank_end] tests of transactions or balances & [blank_start]external[blank_end] confirmations (could be through bank letter, suppliers, etc so getting [blank_start]evidence[blank_end] that is [blank_start]external[blank_end] to client)

Professional scepticism is an [blank_start]attitude[blank_end] that includes [blank_start]questioning[blank_end] mind, being [blank_start]alert[blank_end] to conditions which may indicate possible [blank_start]misstatement[blank_end] due to error or fraud & critical [blank_start]assessment[blank_end] of audit evidence

In relation to professional scepticism, auditor must be alert to audit evidence that [blank_start]contradicts[blank_end] other audit evidence [blank_start]obtained[blank_end], information that brings into question [blank_start]reliability[blank_end] of documents & [blank_start]responses[blank_end] to inquiries to be used as audit evidence, conditions that indicate possible [blank_start]fraud[blank_end] & circumstances that suggest need for audit [blank_start]procedures[blank_end] in addition to those required by ISAs

Professional judgement is application of relevant [blank_start]training[blank_end], [blank_start]knowledge[blank_end] & [blank_start]experience[blank_end] in making informed [blank_start]decisions[blank_end] about courses of action that are appropriate in [blank_start]circumstances[blank_end] of audit engagement

Judgement can become [blank_start]risk[blank_end] area for auditors as [blank_start]financial statements[blank_end] will usually include significant level of [blank_start]estimates[blank_end] such as [blank_start]profitability[blank_end] of long term contracts & judgement about [blank_start]fair[blank_end] values

Auditors can approach areas of judgement by evaluating management [blank_start]capability[blank_end] & [blank_start]motivation[blank_end], looking at [blank_start]systems[blank_end] & [blank_start]controls[blank_end] in place to help decision making process, ensuring that [blank_start]estimates[blank_end] are soundly based & considering use of [blank_start]experts[blank_end]

Materiality for financial statements as [blank_start]whole[blank_end] & [blank_start]performance[blank_end] materiality must be calculated at [blank_start]planning[blank_end] stages of all audits. Calculation or estimation of materiality should be based on [blank_start]experience[blank_end] & [blank_start]judgement[blank_end]. Materiality for financial statements must be reviewed throughout [blank_start]audit[blank_end] & [blank_start]revised[blank_end] if necessary

Materiality- Relative [blank_start]significance[blank_end] or [blank_start]importance[blank_end] of particular matter in context of financial statements as [blank_start]whole[blank_end]. Matter is material if its [blank_start]omission[blank_end] or [blank_start]misstatement[blank_end] would reasonably [blank_start]influence[blank_end] decisions of user of financial statements

With materiality, there are certain [blank_start]percentages[blank_end] or [blank_start]percentage ranges[blank_end] used by auditors

Performance materiality- Amount set by [blank_start]auditor[blank_end] at less than [blank_start]materiality[blank_end] for financial statements as whole to reduce to an appropriately [blank_start]low[blank_end] level probability that [blank_start]aggregate[blank_end] of uncorrected & undetected misstatements exceeds [blank_start]materiality[blank_end] for financial statements as whole

Materiality during audit may [blank_start]change[blank_end] if there are changes to [blank_start]draft[blank_end] accounts & [blank_start]evidence[blank_end] during audit testing that there are [blank_start]problems[blank_end] they need to be adjusted

Materiality at evaluation stage there is [blank_start]evaluation[blank_end] of effect of any [blank_start]misstatement[blank_end], estimation of potential [blank_start]errors[blank_end] in components of financial statements & in financial statements taken as [blank_start]whole[blank_end], auditors will consider nature of [blank_start]errors[blank_end] & [blank_start]management[blank_end] decides whether to adjust

Materiality at evaluation stage, in evaluating misstatements auditors need to consider [blank_start]size[blank_end] & [blank_start]incidence[blank_end], whether errors exhibit [blank_start]pattern[blank_end], whether errors relate to [blank_start]factual[blank_end] matters or matters of [blank_start]opinion[blank_end], whether errors relate to [blank_start]illegal[blank_end] matters, whether there is suspicion of [blank_start]fraud[blank_end], whether similar errors were discovered in [blank_start]previous[blank_end] year & whether misstatements affect only [blank_start]balance sheet[blank_end] items or [blank_start]profit & loss[blank_end] account too

[blank_start]Qualitative[blank_end] issues need to be considered as auditors need to think about whether [blank_start]item[blank_end] is required to be [blank_start]disclosed[blank_end], whether accounting policies are [blank_start]improperly[blank_end] disclosed & where there is [blank_start]improper[blank_end] classification

Internal controls ensure businesses operate [blank_start]effectively[blank_end]. [blank_start]Auditors[blank_end] need to rely on it because it is good way of [blank_start]reducing[blank_end] their testing (don't need to test many [blank_start]transactions[blank_end])