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(Computer-assisted substantive tests for inventory) An auditor is conducting an

ID: 2450752 • Letter: #

Question

(Computer-assisted substantive tests for inventory) An auditor is conducting an audit of the financial statements of a wholesale cosmetics distributor with an inventory consisting of thousands of individual items. The distributor keeps its inventory in its own distribution center and two public warehouses. An inventory computer file is maintained on a computer disk and at the end of each day the file is updated. Each record of the inventory file contains the following data:

Item number

Location of item

Description of item

Quantity on hand

Cost per item

Date of last purchase

Date of last sale

Quantity sold during year

The auditor is planning to observe the distributor's physical count of inventories as of a given date. The auditor will have available a computer tape of the data on the inventory file on the date of the physical count and a general-purpose computer software package.

Required

The auditor is planning to perform inventory substantive tests. Identify the inventory tests and describe how use of the general-purpose software package and the tape of the inventory file data might be helpful to the auditor in performing such tests. (Hint: You may wish to refer to Chapter 12 as well as this chapter in answering this question.) Organize your answer as follows:

Inventory Substantive Test

How Generalized Audit Software Might Be Helpful for Substantive Tests

Observe the physical count, making and recording test counts when applicable.

Determine which items are to be test counted by selecting a random sample of a representative number of items from the inventory file as of the date of the physical count.

Inventory Substantive Test

How Generalized Audit Software Might Be Helpful for Substantive Tests

Observe the physical count, making and recording test counts when applicable.

Determine which items are to be test counted by selecting a random sample of a representative number of items from the inventory file as of the date of the physical count.

Explanation / Answer

Inventory Substantive Test

How Generalized Audit Software Might Be Helpful for Substantive Tests

Observe the physical count, making and recording test counts when applicable.

Determine which items are to be test counted by selecting a random sample of a representative number of items from the inventory file as of the date of the physical count.

Inventory compiliation needs to                     This can be done by multilpying the cost of physical units with

be checked for mathematical                          its cost per unit and also verfitying for any addittiin of the

accuracy                                                            extended dollar value

Comparing inventory records and              This can be donet by arranging inventory file and test counts

auditors test counts                                       in file format

Physical count and inventory records       Comparing the external values of each inventory item counted

comparing                                                     to the inventory and total extended value of all items counted.

Price of inventory testing either by         this can be done by preparing file in format same to the file

obtianing vendors price list and              inventory and the same matching file

other sources

purchase and sale                              items whose last date of purchase and sale date are on or immediatiely

cutoffs examination                             prior to the date of count need to be sample listed

items in warehouse                           listing of items in warhouses.               

Inventory Substantive Test

How Generalized Audit Software Might Be Helpful for Substantive Tests

Observe the physical count, making and recording test counts when applicable.

Determine which items are to be test counted by selecting a random sample of a representative number of items from the inventory file as of the date of the physical count.