LRNETT, INSTRUCTOR Part 1: Discussion Question (100 points) Throughout the entir
ID: 2531717 • Letter: L
Question
LRNETT, INSTRUCTOR Part 1: Discussion Question (100 points) Throughout the entire semester, we have discussed the audit process that an accountant performs to provide a basis upon which to issue an opinion on a company' s financial statements. Describe this process from the acceptance of a client to the completion of the entire audit including any follow up procedures. Make sure you indicate the necessary steps that an auditor would take during this process and why those steps are taken. You do not have to indicate specific procedures or tests. Instead focus on the broad concepts. You are not creating a detailed audit program. You may provide your response in paragraph, outline, and/or bullet format (s). You may provide your response in typed-form in lieu of handwritten.Explanation / Answer
AUDIT PROCESS
1.Auitor Appointment by client and auditor has to accept it.
2. Audit Planning
The audit process is similar for most engagements and normally consists of four stages: Planning (sometimes called Survey or Preliminary Review), Fieldwork, Audit Report, and Follow-up Review. Client involvement is critical at each stage of the audit process. As in any special project, an audit results in a certain amount of time being diverted from your department's usual routine. One of the key objectives is to minimize this time and avoid disrupting ongoing activities.
3. Planning During the planning portion of the audit, the auditor notifies the client of the audit, discusses the scope and objectives of the examination in a formal meeting with organization management, gathers information on important processes, evaluates existing controls, and plans the remaining audit steps.
4. Announcement Letter: The client is informed of the audit through an announcement or engagement letter. Initial Meeting: the client describes the unit or system to be reviewed, the organization, available resources (personnel, facilities, equipment, funds), and other relevant information.
5. Preliminary Survey: In this phase the auditor gathers relevant information about the unit in order to obtain a general overview of operations.
6. Internal Control Review: The auditor will review the unit's internal control structure, a process which is usually time-consuming.
7. Audit Program Preparation of the audit program concludes the preliminary review phase. This program outlines the fieldwork necessary to achieve the audit objectives.
8. AUDIT PROCESS
Risk Assessment
• Obtain an understanding of the entity and its environment, including internal control
• Perform risk assessment procedures and related activities
• Identify and assess risks of material misstatement
• Design audit responses to address the assessed risks of material misstatement
Testing
• Test operating effectiveness of selected controls
• Plan and perform substantive procedures
Completion
• Perform completion procedures, including overall review of financial Statements
• Document significant findings and issues
• Consider if audit evidence obtained is sufficient and appropriate
• Form an audit opinion
• Communicate to the audit committee or those charged with governance our responsibilities under applicable auditing standards, an overview of the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant findings from the audit
9. Discussion Draft At the conclusion of fieldwork, the auditor drafts the report. Audit's goal is to complete the audit and issue a draft audit report within 30 days after the completion of fieldwork. Audit management reviews the audit working papers and the discussion draft before it is presented to the client for comment. This discussion draft is submitted to the client for review before the exit conference.
10. Exit Conference Internal Audit meets with the unit's management team to discuss the findings, recommendations, and text of the discussion draft. At this meeting, the client comments on the draft and the group works to reach an agreement on the audit findings.
11. Exit Conference Is an opportunity for the auditor, department management, process owners, and other to review and validate audit outcomes. The Exit Conference should accomplish the following: 1) Present observations and determine if the current operating context might affect past transactions.2) Confirm facts, observations, and conclusions, e.g., that the findings are accurate.3) Validate the cause leading to findings and present recommendations.4) Estimate the effect of the findings on operations or its risk management.5) Solicit draft management comments on the audit findings and determine if alternative recommendations adequately eliminate the cause of findings.6) Define the timeline for issuing the final audit report and implementing recommendations.
12. Audit Finding Audit Findings Reconciliation Supervisory Review (Urgent) During our sample review of account reconciliations, it was noted that many account reconciliations were not being reviewed by the supervisor in Item Processing and Deposit Operations. Recommendation We recommend management review all accounts at least monthly. Action Plan The Supervisor of the Item Processing Department was advised of this requirement and has implemented changes as requested. The Deposit Operations Manager will sign and review all account reconciliations. A secondary signature by the balancing associate and/or supervisor will also be implemented. This procedure is currently in place.
13. Exit Conference Checklist ProcedureSet the date, time, and location of the exit meeting. The agenda should include the following:• Accomplishment of the audit objectives (theirs and ours).• Discussion of potential audit findings and recommendations.• Discussion of when management’s response will be due.• Audit reporting process.• Follow up process.Document results of the exit meeting.
14. Exit ConferenceThis section of the report summarizes the pertinent information regarding the Audit Exit Conference. It includes:The date the conference was held. The persons in attendance and their titles. Exit ConferenceA statement that a summary of the Findings and Recommendations was discussed.
15. Audit Exit Conference WPAudit Location (Faculty Division)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audit Date--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lead Auditor------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Audit team Member-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The main purpose of this meeting is to immediately present audit observations to the senior management in a timely manner at the end of the audit and in such a manner so as to ensure that they clearly understand the results of the audit. List Observations: The lead auditor should present observations, taking into account their perceived significance and identifying key non-conformance areas. Key Non-conformances: The lead auditor should present the audit team’s conclusions . Proposed Audit Score: Audi tee response to observations, non-conformances and audit score proposed by the auditor.
16. Formal Draft The auditor then prepares a formal draft, taking into account any revisions resulting from the exit conference and other discussions. This report is issued to the audited requesting a written response to any audit findings and recommendations. When the changes have been reviewed by audit management and the client, the final report is issued.
17. AUDIT REPORT Our principal product is the final report in which we present the audit findings and discuss recommendations for improvements. Once the fieldwork is completed, Internal Audit will draft a report to include the result of the audit including recommendations for improvement. After the draft report is completed, it will be forwarded to department management for review and discussion at a scheduled exit conference.
18. Report Issuance Control Sheet Spelling and Grammar Check Performed by: ______xxx____________________ Quality Assurance Review (QAR) Performed by: ______xxxx_________________ Approval of final draft with responses Director of Audits: ___xxx_________________ Engagement Manager: ___ ___xxxx_________________ Check all reports (original and all copies). Verify the following: 1. They contain all pages, in the appropriate order __________ 2 All copies are straight and legible; and __________ 3. The signature page has been signed. __________Report Distribution*:President Client Management Chief * As determined by type of audit and institution where engagement is conducted (Academic, Medical, or System Administration). Compliance Officer should be included in report distribution if engagement involves a compliance issue. Engagement Distribution Timeline: Last Day of Fieldwork (MM/DD/YYYY) _____________ Report Issuance Date _____________ Days between Last Day of Fieldwork and Report Issuance. _____________
19. Final Report After audited management has been given an opportunity to respond to the Preliminary Draft, the Final Draft Report is presented to the Accountability Oversight Committee for approval. Upon approval of the Final Draft the Final Report is issued. Auditor distributes the final report the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accountant, the President, the Board of Directors, and other appropriate members of senior management. Final Reports are considered public information and will be available to anyone.
20. Independent Auditors' ReportTo the Board of Directors and Shareholders
21. Client Response The client has the opportunity to respond to the audit findings prior to issuance of the final report which can be included or attached to our final report. In the response, the client should explain how report findings will be resolved and include an implementation timetable. In some cases, managers may choose to respond with a decision not to implement an audit recommendation and to accept the risks associated with an audit finding.
22. Client Comments Finally, as part of Audit's self-evaluation program, we ask clients to comment on Audit's performance. This feedback has proven to be very beneficial to us, and we have made changes in our procedures as a result of clients' suggestions.
23. Audit Follow upDepending on the nature of the audit or the audit findings, the Follow-Up procedure may formal or informal”.
24. Audit Approximately one year of the final report, Internal Audit will perform a follow-up review to verify the resolution of the report findings. FOLLOW UP REVIEWFOLLOW UP REPORT AUDIT ANNUAL REPORT TO TH E BOARD
25. Followed up reviewThe actions taken to resolve the audit report findings may be tested to ensure that the desired results were achieved.
26. Followed up Report To resolve the original report findings. Unresolved findings will include a brief description of the finding, the original audit recommendation, the client response, the current condition, and the continued exposure to the board of company.
27. Audit Annual Report Memorandum to the senior manager that notifies them that audit activities are underway and describes the follow-up process. This memo should include: timeframes for the project, a copy of the outstanding findings relating to areas reporting. a request that they distribute the findings to these areas and ask the managers to provide Internal Audit with the information requested, a statement that these comments were previously distributed as part of an audit report or close-out letter notification that the results will be reported to Board of Trustees. The Announce Memo report Findings Access database provides sample wording for the notification memo. The notification memo should be sent
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