Controls for Outflows Improper recording of costs and expenses are common errors in financial statements. Fraud is common in payroll, accounts payable, and cash disbursements. Errors and fraud can be prevented when controls for outflows in purchasing, accounts payable, cash disbursements, finance, investments, and payroll are performed. This proposal recommends and explains the controls in detail and describes the importance of the controls for each area.
Purchasing:
Purchases are requested by people who know what the organization needs. Purchasing is a vital component in any business. With internal controls in effect potential risk or fraud will be reduced. Companies that do not have adequate internal controls in place are in danger for opportunities for fraud, theft, and misuse. The recommendations for internal controls that relate to purchasing will follow. Separation of duties assigns functions to different people. No one person has complete control over all buying activities with proper segregation. The best practice is to have different people approve purchase, receive materials, approve invoices for payment, review and reconcile financial records, and to perform inventory counts. Consequences for not separation of duties are: * Unauthorized or unnecessary purchases made * Improper charges made to department budgets * Excessive costs incurred * Goods purchased for personal use (Internal Control Practices: Purchasing, 2009).
Accountability, authorization, and approval are another internal control. The company can maintain accountability when one authorizes, reviews, and approves purchases. The best practices include: * complying with ethical buying practices and policy, * reviewing and updating signature authorizations periodically, * verifying receipt of goods and services against contract/purchase order and invoice