Audit Method: Inventory Count

As per the requirements of ISA 501, if inventory is material to the financial statements, the auditor shall obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the existence and condition of inventory by: a) attendance at physical inventory counting; b) performing audit procedures over the entity’s final inventory records to determine whether they accurately reflect actual inventory count results.

An Inventory count is carried out by business either: 

• to corroborate information contained in their books and records which is the product of a continuous accounting and control system, or
• to provide an inventory figure for inclusion in financial statement and to use in calculating profit where there is no system of continuous inventory accounting.

 The purposes of the physical inventory observation by auditor are to determine that

 the inventory actually exists,

• the methods of inventory taking are effective in obtaining accurate counts, and
• the inventory is in a usable and salable condition in the normal course of business (e.g., not damaged or obsolete).

It should be remembered that while the auditor will himself carry out test counts and extract certain cut-off information he is primarily there to observe that the client’s procedure are satisfactory. Where the client has an efficient system for inventory records, the physical inventory may be carried out on a continuous basis as opposed to counting everything in one go at the year-end. In the case of a client using the continuous basis, the auditor will still be required to observe a part of this continuous inventory counting.

  

Recommendation

When conducting inventory count at year end special attention needs to be paid by the auditor to apply proper cut off procedures (testing last receiving and shipping transaction), reconciling inventory count to the general ledger, testing high value items, testing inventory in transit, testing the inventory at third party warehouses, testing inventory cost including freight charges and testing for lower of cost or net realizable value/market etc. The working paper should be prepared in such a manner that the information can be easily followed up at the final audit visit. Test counts for example should have been traced to the stock sheets to confirm that they are a proper record of the results of the physical inventory.

Audit Firms: Non-Audit Services

Growth in consultancy among the Big Four is outpacing their traditional tax and audit services, while the firms are also outperforming management consultants. Big Four firms have been steadily rebuilding their consultancy arms through a series of acquisitions in order to compensate for stagnating growth for traditional audit work. The type of non-audit services that audit firms provide ranges widely from audit firm to audit firm. They may include professional advice on transactions (for example, a merger, acquisition or restructuring) as well as tax and broader business advisory services (including performance improvement and information technology). Non-audit services may also include advisory work to assist companies to comply with laws and regulations.

The strict regulations imposed by Sarbanes Oxley Act introduced in USA led to a rash of sales of consultancy divisions by the auditing firms. IBM for instance bought PwC's consulting arm, E&Y Consulting had already sold to Cap Gemini and KPMG did an IPO of KPMG Consulting, which then became BearingPoint. But by the time the Big Four's non-compete clauses expired, typically in three to five years, consulting was back as a high-focus area at the accounting firms.

Soon after the Enron controversy died, the accounting firms realized that regulations could be taken care of if they built a practice that largely consisted of non-audit clients where conflict situations didn't arise; and where there was overlap, they could always avoid selling certain services. And that's what they did. Deloitte recorded a revenue figure of US$ 34.2 billion (2014) with growth for consulting at 10.3 percent. EY advisory grew by 14.4% as compared to assurance growth of 4.5% in 2014. Out of PWC total revenue of US$ 34 billion in 2014 18.8 billion was generated by Tax and Advisory Services. Kpmg total advisory revenues for the year 2014 were up by 10.4% to US$9.09 billion, up from 6.5% in FY13.

That's indeed a high turnaround from 2002 when following Enron's bankruptcy and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, KPMG and PwC dumped their consulting arms; Ernst & Young had already done so in 2000. The sell-off was a reaction to a toughened up Sarbanes-Oxley Act that restricted the scope of non-audit services that could be offered to audit clients to limit any conflict of interest.

Additional Thoughts

In many countries the codes of corporate governance forbids auditors to provide non-audit services to audit clients if that would present a threat to independence for which no adequate safeguards are available. It is the responsibility of the audit committee being the representative of shareholders to oversee the relationship between the auditor and the company. The audit committee must scrutinize the provision of non-audit services by the audit firms and must have to make sure that the independence and objectivity of the audit firm is not compromised.  

Week-End: The Rope for Young Elephants

As a man was passing by the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were. Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

For all the aspiring accountancy career students; “Failure is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.”

Audit News Briefing: 24 September 2015

Audit-is-cool is pleased to accumulate and provide its readers with the news on audit and related topics:

September 21, 2015

Accounting Today

US: PCAOB Strikes Deal with Luxembourg

“This agreement with the Luxembourg audit regulator reflects the strength and depth of our relationships in Europe.” – is the statement of PCAOB Chairman James R. Doty when US accounting and audit regulator, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has entered into a cooperative arrangement with Luxembourg’s audit regulator, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier of Luxembourg. This is in relation to the oversight of audit firms subject to the regulatory jurisdictions of both regulators. Please follow link for details: http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/audit-accounting/pcaob-strikes-deal-with-luxembourg-75850-1.html

September 16, 2015

Accounting Today

Global: Demands Increase on Financial Service Internal Auditors

“This latest report in the Common Body of Knowledge series provides a provocative and in-depth look at modern financial services internal auditing,” said Institute of Internal Auditors global chairman Larry Harrington in a statement. “Its analysis provides real insight into some of the most vexing challenges the profession will face as it meets growing demands for services.” This is concerning the financial service industry as pressures for internal auditors are growing quickly around the world. The report examined the challenges facing the profession, identified regulatory requirements, and technology risks or threats involved. Please follow link for details: http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/audit-accounting/demands-increase-on-financial-service-internal-auditors-75803-1.html

September 3, 2015

Computer Business Review

Top 5 IT Security Audit Questions

The CBR Online recently featured in their Cybersecurity/Business segment, the most common audit compliance questions asked by external IT auditors to determine whether a company is able to safeguard its most valuable assets.

They are, as follows:

1. Do you have a documented security policy?
2. Are access privileges in your organisation granted adequately?
3. What methods do you use to protect your data?
4. Do you have a disaster recovery plan?
5. Are your employees familiar with existing security procedures and policies?

Please follow link for details: http://www.cbronline.com/news/cybersecurity/business/top-5-it-security-audit-questions-4661821

Audit Firm: Message from Financial Reporting Council to the Big 4

The Financial Reporting Council is the UK’s independent regulator responsible for promoting high quality corporate governance. It recently issued Audit Quality Inspection Report for the year 2014/15.

The review of the firm’s policies and procedures supporting audit quality is undertaken by the Audit Quality Review team of the Financial Reporting Council (“the FRC”) and it covered aspects of the following areas: 

• Tone at the top and internal communications
• Transparency report
• Independence and ethics
• Performance evaluation and other human resource matters
• Audit methodology, training and guidance
• Client risk assessment and acceptance / continuance
• Consultation and review
• Audit quality monitoring
• Other firm-wide matters

 Some of the key messages given by the FRC to the Big 4 audit firms are as follows: 

• Improve the testing of management reports and other system generated information to obtain assurance on its reliability for audit purposes.
• Improve the testing of controls.
• Ensure that audit planning discussions are held with Audit Committees on a more timely basis to enable their input to be reflected appropriately in the audit plan.
• Ensure audit teams pay more attention to the nature and complexity of entities when determining the scope and extent of group and component audit procedures.
• Improve the audit approach in relation to the testing of journals including the selection of journals based on the characteristics of fraud risk
• Ensure that, when using the firm’s valuation and other specialists, audit teams obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to corroborate their conclusions.
• Take action to ensure that partners are notified promptly of new audited entities and dispose of any financial interests held in them on a timely basis.
• Ensure that the firm’s audit reports accurately describe the audit procedures performed to address the identified risks.

Additional Thoughts

The key messages given by the FRC to the audit firms can be used as guidelines by the firms to improve the quality of their audits. Firms should develop more stringent internal quality control review mechanisms to improve audit quality and deliver services to the complete satisfaction of all the stakeholders. 

Audit Method: Written Representations

A written statement by management provided to the auditor to confirm certain matters or to support other audit evidence. Written representations in this context do not include financial statements, the assertions therein, or supporting books and records (ISA-580).

Written representations are audit evidence and are necessary information to arrive at audit conclusions. However on their own they can not be relied upon for audit evidence to support audit conclusions therefore they do not affect the nature and extent of other audit evidence that is to be obtained by the auditor. It should be obtained only from management who has responsibility for preparing and presenting financial statements and is knowledgeable about the relevant matters.

ISA 580 requires the auditor to request management to provide written representations that it has fulfilled certain of its responsibilities. It may therefore be appropriate to make management aware that receipt of such written representations will be expected, together with written representations required by other ISAs and, where necessary, written representations to support other audit evidence relevant to the financial statements or one or more specific assertions in the financial statements.

The following issues may be documented in a written representation letter obtained from the management:

1. Assessment of risk of fraud by management
2. Management’s knowledge of identified or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations
3. Related parties identification by the management
4. Consideration of all aggregated uncorrected misstatements to be immaterial
5. Assumptions used in making accounting estimates are reasonable
6. Consideration of subsequent events by management
7. Consideration of all possible matters and contingencies in going concern review
8. Any restatement made to correct a material misstatement in prior period financial statements that affect the comparative information.

Recommendation

My recommendation to the audit team would be to gather a list of issues about which it is appropriate to require a written representation. During finalization stage of audit, the audit team should write to the client confirming the issues about which they need a written representation from the management. The client must formally write the representation letter including all the issues pointed out along with other necessary representations, sign it and send it to the auditor. The written representation should be dated as nearly as possible, but not after, the date of audit report. 

Audit News Briefing: 20 September 2015

Audit-is-cool is pleased to accumulate and provide its readers with the news on audit and related topics:

September 10, 2015

Accountancy Live

Government has poor oversight of financial entities it controls - NAO

Due to double increase of up to 54, in the number of supposedly controlled financial institutions since year 2007, The National Audit Office (NAO) criticised the government for failure to effectively oversee the matter. NAO Head Amyas Morse, advised: “Financial institutions are becoming significant elements in the government balance sheet, creating a range of opportunities and risks but no one part of government is taking an overview. The government should adopt a portfolio management approach alongside the traditional departmental oversight model to provide heightened assurance over the portfolio.” Please follow link for details: https://www.accountancylive.com/government-has-poor-oversight-financial-entities-it-controls-nao

September 9, 2015

Corporate Crime Reporter

US: BDO Admits Wrongdoing, To Pay $2.1 Million to Settle Audit Fraud Charges

The US member audit firm of the BDO International network, BDO USA has been fined $2.1m (£1.37m) by US regulator – Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for ignoring red flags and issuing ‘false and misleading’ unqualified audit opinions about the financial statements of staffing services company General Employment Enterprises (GEE). Charges were also filed against five firm partners with fraud charges against GEE’s then-chairman of the board and majority shareholder. “Audit firms must train their audit and national office professionals not only to recognize red flags but also to have the resolve to refuse signing off on an audit if there are unresolved material issues. BDO failed to do that here, even though these issues were elevated to the highest levels of its audit practice,” SEC Director Andrew Ceresney explained. Please follow link for details: http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/bdo-admits-wrongdoing-to-pay-2-1-million-to-settle-audit-fraud-charges/

September 9, 2015

Accountancy Live

Requirements for accounting skills and tougher independence for bank audit committees

In accordance with the government's implementation of the 2014 EU audit legislation, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consultations are being held to aid in the amendment of their existing rules under the Disclosure Rule and Transparency Rule (DTR) Sourcebook. Under new proposals, stricter rules around independence and requirements for technical accounting skills are on the cards for the audit committees of public interest entities (PIEs). The EU audit legislation must be implemented in the UK by 17 June 2016. The deadline for feedback on the FCA consultation is 5 November 2015 and details are available here: http://www.fca.org.uk/news/cp15-28-quarterly-consultation-paper-no-10

Please follow link for details: https://www.accountancylive.com/requirements-accounting-skills-and-tougher-independence-bank-audit-committees