Finance is a vast subject with several branches. The modern business world is changing rapidly in terms of its functioning. One has to be familiar with the terminologies associated with the finance world. By understanding various financial terms and the mechanism in which it functions, one can reach great heights.
This website, ‘Simplified Fiscal Affairs’ presents to you the various topics/concepts in the form of series and imparts the knowledge in a simplified way.
WHAT IS AUDIT?
- Auditing is nothing but the systematic and critical examination and verification of the books of accounts. It can be undertaken throughout the year or periodically.
- The primary aim is to find out whether the financial statements exhibit a true and fair view of the business.
- Origin of the term audit is said to be in the Latin term audire which means to listen.
- Audit of accounts by a duty qualified chartered accountant is mandatory for the registered joint stock companies, public trusts, bigger co-operative societies and for income tax and VAT tax payers above a particular limit.
“Audit is an examination of accounting records, undertaken with a view to establishing whether they correctly and completely reflect the transactions to which they purport to relate.” Prof. Dickers
“Auditing is concerned with the verification of accounting data, determining the accuracy and reliability of accounting statements and reports.” R.R. Mautz
Objectives of Audit:
- To find the reliability of the financial position and profit and loss statement.
- To check whether the financial statements of the company present a true and fair view.
- To check whether the financial statements are kept as per the provisions of the relevant Act.
- Verification of the entries with the relevant documentary evidences.
- To check whether all the money received is accounted for or not and all the payments made have proper supporting documents.
- To conduct an independent review of financial statements.
- Auditor has to examine the prevailing internal control and internal check systems prevalent in the organisation and must check the arithmetical accuracy of the books of accounts.
- The auditor has to check the physical existence of various assets shown in the balance sheet and check whether they present a true and fair value.
- After checking the accounts the auditor has to express his or her personal judgement on the maintenance of the books of accounts.
- The company who audits its financial statements on a timely basis builds a good reputation and goodwill.
- Helps the stakeholders with decision making as audited accounts are considered more reliable.
- To detect and prevent frauds and errors.
Advantages of Audit:
- Audited accounts are considered more reliable.
- Errors and frauds are detected in time.
- The management will write the accounts timely and take sufficient care to see that it’s accurate.
- The guidance of the auditor helps the management.
- Tax authorities, readily accept the audited accounts and the process of tax filing becomes less time consuming.
- Claim of loss from the insurance company is easily settled if the accounts presented or audited.
- There is quick sanctioning or approval of loans if the accounts are audited.
Disadvantages / Limitations of Audit:
- Dependence on information and explanation given by the client’s staff which may not be always accurate.
- The auditor has to rely on the opinions expressed by different professionals like lawyers, solicitors, engineers.
- Audit is a post examination of the financial statements. Things have already happened, it is usually noted for future guidance.
- The auditor cannot guarantee the future profitability and prospects of the company.
- When the volume of transactions is huge the auditor cannot check each and every transaction, he or she may adopt test checking. In this system the financial transactions are examined at random which leads to the risk of undetected frauds and errors in the books of accounts, therefore, the auditors are somehow suspicious. Some errors in frauds may go and detected as all the transactions are not checked.
WHAT IS TEST CHECKING IN AUDIT?
The test checking can be defined as “indepth checking of only a few selected items and to form an opinion about the quality of the accounts". If the items selected are accurate, the auditor can assume that the other entries are also accurate. For the success of test checking system, representative number of entries of each class is selected for checking. It is an accepted substitute of detailed checking which is applied where the volume of transactions is huge. Test checking is based on the theory of probability. If the selected sample is truly representative of the population it will yield reliable results.
WHAT ARE AUDIT WORKING PAPERS?
- Audit working papers set up the link between the auditor’s report and the client’s records. Documentation is one of the basic principles. The audit working papers are prepared solely by the auditor.
- These audit working papers are also called working papers or simply work papers. They contain a record of the audit work done; schedules prepared, information about the overall business entity.
- As these papers serve as an important supporting documents or legal evidence, the auditor must hold on to these papers in a safe custody and retain them for a reasonable tenure.
- Working papers are not only useful to form a report but also useful as a defence to prove that there were no negligences, on the part of the auditor.
Importance of Audit Working Papers:
- The auditor can recognise and acknowledge the sincerity, honesty and integrity of his assistants.
- They are useful to the auditor when he finally drafts his or her report.
- If there are changes in the audit staff new entrants can easily continue the work.
- These papers serve as a guideline to the auditor to plan the next year’s programme.
- In future, if there is a legal proceeding against the auditor accusing him or her of negligence in the duties, he or she can easily defend himself or herself in the court of law on the basis of these audit working papers.
- It facilitates control over the audit work.
- It leads to proper accountability of duties.
Classification of working papers:
Working papers should be properly organised. All significant matters which require the exercise of judgement and analysis by the auditor should be included. The working papers collected or classified into two parts, a permanent and the current audit file:
A permanent audit file consists of the papers and documents which can be used every year. The file is updated as and when the circumstances demand. It contains:
- Memorandum of association, Articles of association, partnership deed and the trust deed.
- Description of the overall business of the client.
- Information on the various accounting policies like method of depreciation, valuation of inventories, followed by the client.
- Copies of balance sheets of the earlier years.
- List of principal officers.
The current audit file papers are concerned only with the current year’s audit. All the work done in the course of audit planning, assignment of staff, evaluation of internal control and Audit program are included in these papers. This file contains:
- Appointment letter, discussions with the management and the client, various internal control systems prevalent in the organisation, audit programme, copies of communications the auditor has with bankers, creditors, debtors etc. and replies received.