Chapter 4: Audit Evidence Flashcards
When is audit evidence gathered during an audit?
The auditor gathers audit evidence when performing:
- Risk assessment procedures
- Tests of controls
- Substantive procedures
- Other audit procedures
What factors should be considered when evaluating the reliability of audit evidence?
The hierarchy of audit evidence (most reliable to least):
- Auditor’s direct personal knowledge & observation
- External evidence
- Internal evidence
- Oral evidence
(the accuracy and completeness of information produced by the client should be evaluated)
How is the relevance of evidence determined?
To be relevant, evidence must relate to the financial statement assertions under consideration.
PCAOB standards state that the relevance of audit evidence depends on the design and timing of the audit procedure.
What influences the auditor’s decision regarding the sufficiency of evidential matter?
- The risk of material misstatement
- The quality of audit evidence
List some of the standard auditing procedures used in most audits
FIVE CARROT CARS
Footing, crossfooting, and recalculation
Inquiry
Vouching
Examination/Inspection
Confirmation Analytical procedures Reperformance Observation Tracing
Cutoff review
Auditing related accounts simultaneously
Represenation letter
Subsequent events review
What should the direction of testing be if the auditor is concerned about the existence or occurrence assertion?
Vouching backward from the accounting records (financial statements, journal entries, etc.) to source documents provides evidence of existence or occurence
What should the direction of testing be if the auditor is concerned about the completeness assertion?
Tracing forward from the source documents to the accounting records (i.e. financial statements, journal entries, etc.) provides evidence of completeness
Which departments are responsible for preparing the sales order, approving the sales order, preparing the bill of lading, and preparing the invoice?
Sales Dept: prepares the sales order
Credit Dept.: Approves the sales order
Shipping Dept.: prepares the bill of lading
Billing Dept: prepares the invoice
Which department should approve write-offs of uncollectible accounts?
The treasurer’s department should approve write-offs of uncollectible accounts
A listing of cash receipts should be sent to which three departments?
The cashier, accounts receivable (billing), and general accounting departments should each receive a copy of the cash receipts listing
What are some common audit procedures related to the revenue cycle?
Audit procedures related to the revenue cycle might include:
- Trace a sample of shipping documents to sales invoices and the sales journal (completeness)
- Vouch a sample of sales transactions from the sales journal to the shipping documents (existence)
- Examine sales transactions from shortly before and after year-end for recording in the proper period (cutoff)
- Confirmation of a sample of accounts receivable (existence)
- Testing of the allowance for uncollectible accounts (valuation)
Compare and contrast positive, negative, and blank confirmations
Positive confirmation: customer is requested to return confirmation to the auditor. Should be used when: accounts are large, errors are expected, or items are disputed
Negative confirmation: customer is requested to reply only if amount stated by auditor is incorrect. Should be used when: combined assessed level of inherent and control risk is low, a large number of small balances are being confirmed, and the recipients are not expected to disregard the confirmations.
Blank confirmation: a positive confirmation that does not include the balance, instead requesting the recipient to provide this information. Blank confirmations provide greater assurance but may result in lower response rates
In a purchase transaction, which departments are responsible for preparing the purchase order, preparing the receiving report, recording the payable, approving the invoice, signing the check, and mailing the check?
Purchasing department - prepares the purchase order
Receiving department - prepares the receiving report
AP department - records the payable and approves the invoice
Treasurer’s department - signs and mails the check
What documents should be compared before an invoice is approved for payment, and why?
The purchase order, receiving report, and vendor invoice should be compared before an invoice is approved for payment. This is to ensure that the company doesn’t pay for goods that were not ordered or that were ordered but not received.
What are some common audit procedures related to the expenditure cycle?
Audit procedures related to the expenditure cycle might include:
- Performing a search for unrecorded liabilities (completeness)
- Accounts payable confirmations (existence)
- Examination of purchases before and after year-end for recording in the proper period (cutoff)
When might accounts payable confirmations be used, and to whom would they be sent?
Accounts payable confirmations might be used when:
- Internal control is weak
- There are disputed amounts
- Monthly vendor statements are not available
They would be sent to vendors with small or zero balances, because errors often involve unrecorded liabilities.
Note: confirmation of recorded accounts payable will not provide evidence regarding unrecorded liabilities, but confirmations sent to vendors with zero (or small) balances might provide such evidence.
Define Lapping
Delaying the recording of cash receipts to conceal the theft of cash
Define Kiting
Overstatement of bank balances by transferring cash between banks and reporting the amount in both bank balances simultaneously
What are the primary audit procedures used to test the existence, completeness, and valuation of cash?
Primary audit procedures include:
- Standard bank confirmations sent to all banks with which the client has done business during the year
- Testing of the year-end bank reconciliation
