...Problem 2-7 Since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), the PCAOB is responsible for establishing the auditing standards for public companies, whereas the AICPA (Auditing Standards Board)is responsible for private companies. Prior to the SOX, the AICPA was responsible to establish auditing standards for both private and public companies. . Problem 2-10 Although the generally accepted auditing standards are quite general, it is probably best to keep them that way rather than having specific audit guidelines. I believe this is the best way to set the standards because it would still allow the CPA to make a professional judgment by applying their understanding of GAAP. In addition, having specific standards would probably make it harder for CPAs to comply to very technical standards. They would have less room to make an interpretation of GAAP. Problem 2-16 a. 1) b. 2) c. 3) d. 3) Problem 2-20 a. Since Rossi and Montgomery, CPA never had a client go public before, it would probably be a challenge for them to perform all the audit work for a public company since there are more requirements of the company to file with the SEC. The firm needs to assess whether they have the proper staff and training to audit a public client. Also the CPA firm cannot perform any more consulting or accounting services for the audit client since it is not allowed under the PCAOB audit standards. b. The auditors would have to complete the registration of the company...
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...ACCT555 External Auditing(TCO B) The following is a portion of a qualified scope and opinion report due to a scope restriction. (Note: A separate report was issued on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.) Independent Auditor's ReportTo the shareholders of Fast Times Corporation,We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Fast Times Corporation as of September 30, 2009, and the related statements of income, retained earnings, and cash flows for the past year. These financial statements are the responsibility of the company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.Except as discussed in the following paragraph, we conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.We were unable to obtain audited financial statements supporting the company's investment in a foreign affiliate stated at $1,040...
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... Course Name: Advanced External Auditing (AU2) Assignment: 1 Modules: 1 and 2 General Comments If you have any comments or suggestions for improvements of these marker’s comment sheets, please forward them to your marker or CGA-BC. Your feedback is important to us. PLEASE NOTE FOR SUBSEQUENT ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAM PURPOSES When answering assignment (and examination) questions, students should carefully read the requirements of the question. Marks are awarded for each valid point included in your answer. The specific terminology of the question is important. If the question asks for items to be “listed”, it is sufficient to list the items without explanation or elaboration. If, on the other hand, the question requires that items be described, a mere listing will not result in full marks being awarded. In general, marks are awarded for each valid point made and you should be guided by both the wording of the question and the number of marks available in deciding how many points are required and how much detail is needed. To receive full marks, it is necessary to provide enough detail (as required by the question) about sufficient points (as determined from the number of marks available). In answering an assignment question, review the lesson notes and required readings carefully and attempt to include as many valid points as possible in your solution. Advanced External Auditing (AU2) is the second course in external auditing and other assurance and related...
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...Advanced External Auditing [AU2] Examination Blueprint 2013/2014 Purpose The Advanced External Auditing [AU2] examination has been constructed using an examination blueprint. The blueprint, also referred to as the test specifications, outlines the content areas covered on the examination and the weighting allotted to each content area. This document also lists the topics, the level of competence for each topic, and the related learning objectives and competencies. The learning objectives have been designed to ensure that the competencies are met. In addition, information is provided on the proportion of each question type presented in the examination (that is, multiple choice, quantitative problems, and so on). Use Candidates should use the examination blueprint to prepare for the course examination. The blueprint may not include all the topics listed in the course materials; however, candidates are still responsible for acquiring a broad-based knowledge of all topics not listed in the blueprint since these topics will be tested in assignment and review questions. The topics not listed in the blueprint will also provide candidates with a greater depth of understanding of auditing concepts. Examination Objectives The objective of the 4-hour comprehensive examination is to test CGA candidates on the prerequisite knowledge required for advancement into PA1 and PA2, so as to ensure that the candidates have the broad-based knowledge in assurance needed to function properly in the association’s...
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...Discuss whether the current international regulatory environment for the auditing profession is robust enough to ensure that the external auditors of listed companies provide reports to owners and investors which are sufficiently independent to serve the public interest. Introduction As we will discover, the topic posed above is a complex one, which has many arguments both in favour and against the stability of the present regulatory environment in ensuring that the audits which auditors produce are indeed impartial enough to satisfy the public interest. We will first proceed in identifying the term “public interest” in light of the accounting and auditing profession. From this will be an explanation of what is the current regulatory environment, which will then lead us to arguments for and against auditors retaining their independence. Relevant sources will be used, including some concerning current thinking on the matter. From this a suitable conclusion can be made. What is meant by “the public interest” in relation to the (accounting and) audit profession? The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC 2010) soundly defines the public interest as any individual or entity which is affected by the work of the accountancy profession: in other words, society as a whole. What is expected of the accountancy profession in relation to the public is the safeguarding of particular interests. These interests may consist of providing accurate financial information, ensuring...
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...BETWEEN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIT Professor PhD Atanasiu Pop, „Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: apop@econ.ubblcuj.ro PhD Student Cristina Boţa-Avram, „Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: botaavram@gmail.com PhD Student Florin Boţa-Avram, „Babeş Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: botaavramflorin@yahoo.com ABSTRACT: Analyzing the evolution process of internal audit, from its beginnings and so far, we can easily notice that internal audit function was born through detaching of some activities from external audit, the result being that there some situations when these two functions could be easily confused. The reality is that internal audit and external audit are two distinctive functions; net differenced, but which are also characterized through some complementary relationships. In this paper, we try to give our contribution at the clarification of the similarities and differences between these two functions, making a literature review that allowed us to identify some very interesting studies that permitted us to emphasize the main criterions that influenced the relationship between internal audit and external audit. Keywords: internal audit, external audit, objectivity, competence JEL Codes: M42 1. Introduction The coordination of internal audit activity with external audit activity is very important from both points of view: from external audit’s point of view is important because, in this way, external auditors have the...
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...BETWEEN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIT Professor PhD Atanasiu Pop, „Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: apop@econ.ubblcuj.ro PhD Student Cristina Boţa-Avram, „Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: botaavram@gmail.com PhD Student Florin Boţa-Avram, „Babeş Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: botaavramflorin@yahoo.com ABSTRACT: Analyzing the evolution process of internal audit, from its beginnings and so far, we can easily notice that internal audit function was born through detaching of some activities from external audit, the result being that there some situations when these two functions could be easily confused. The reality is that internal audit and external audit are two distinctive functions; net differenced, but which are also characterized through some complementary relationships. In this paper, we try to give our contribution at the clarification of the similarities and differences between these two functions, making a literature review that allowed us to identify some very interesting studies that permitted us to emphasize the main criterions that influenced the relationship between internal audit and external audit. Keywords: internal audit, external audit, objectivity, competence JEL Codes: M42 1. Introduction The coordination of internal audit activity with external audit activity is very important from both points of view: from external audit’s point of view is important because, in this way, external auditors have the...
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...External auditors do not rely on internal auditors as much as they could – why? How could this reliance be improved? Presented By Mingdi Deng Shirene Horner Yueyang Shi Trevor Stewart Jingtao Wang CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT 3 1. INTRODUCTION 3 2. REASONS 3 2.1 INTERNAL AUDITOR ROLES 3 2.2 THE REPORTING AND OBJECTIVITY RELATIONSHIP OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR 4 3. COLLABORATION IN PRACTICE 5 3.1 COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION 5 3.2 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS 5 3.3 RECORDING AND TESTING ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS 6 3.4 SUBSTANTIVE TESTS 6 4. CONSEQUENCES OF INFLUENCE 7 5. RELIANCE IMPROVEMENTS 8 5.1 ATTEMPTS FOR IMPROVEMENT 8 5.2 INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY AND COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR INTERNAL AUDITORS AND EXTERNAL AUDITORS 8 5.3 FURTHER EDUCATION IS...
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...Introduction Technology plays a vital role in continuous auditing activities. As an automatic method, continuous auditing’s responsibility is to perform auditing activities more frequently which including control and risk assessments. With the aim of helping to automate the identification of anomalies or exceptions, analyze models, test controls and review trends, “Continuous” in this aspect of continuous reporting and auditing serves as the financial information’s real-time ability to be shared and checked. Continuous auditing presents that the financial information’s integrity can be evaluated at any given-point-time; as a result, financial information’s inefficient, frauds and errors could able to be verified constantly. In the other hand, we could consider continuous auditing as a very detailed audit. 1 Historical development of continuous auditing As a kind of audit method, it theoretical sources is from the traditional auditing method. The traditional auditing theory is the basis of analyzing the continuous auditing. Most of the auditing is a format of statutory audit, but not all the auditing is required by the statutory from the beginning. Under the freedom of market environment, we should strengthen research on audit risk, explore ways of audit risk management and control, continue to improve audit quality, and reduce audit risk. “In fact, the concept of “continuous auditing” has been around since the late 1980s. But the urgency that Sarbanes-Oxley has brought...
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...and the companies must be disclose, to prevent any conflict in interest when auditing the accounting records. The external auditors were given the power to obtain information and inspect the accounting records of the companies because of the nature of their duties. As stated in Companies Act 1965 section 174 (2)(a), the roles of an auditor is to report the consolidated accounts by give a true and fair view as required by section 169 and in accordance with the applicable approved accounting standards. In 1971, during the implementation of New Economic Policy (NEP), where after the eruption of violence between Malays and Chinese in 1969, Malaysia economy change its direction from to target foreign interest of free enterprises towards in the control of the government. By the strong presence of the government to improve and balance the economics including the incomes distribution and assets ownerships, Malaysian now has a shared goal together in socio-economic; and thus increase the demand for the independent auditors and present more existence. During 1980s, Malaysia was in economics recession where NEP was slowly being discarded by the local communities and come to an end. There are no any significant changes in the roles of the auditors in late 1980s when started the operation of KLSE and amendment of the Companies Act. Changing of the term of the audit license to two years make governing the auditing profession more effective under Companies Act 1965. There are also additional...
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...organisations has created the need for a specialist in various business controls: the internal auditor. We can understand better the nature of internal auditing today if we know something about the changing conditions in the past and the different needs these changes created. What is the earliest form of internal auditing and how did it come into existence? How has internal auditing responded to changing needs? As the operations of an organisation become more voluminous and complex, it is no longer practicable for the owner or top manager to have enough contact with all operations to satisfactorily review the effectiveness of performance. These responsibilities need to be delegated. The Development of the Profession of Internal Auditing Internal auditing has evolved from accounting-oriented to a management-oriented profession. At one time, internal auditing functioned as a junior to the independent accounting profession, and attesting to the accuracy of financial matters was the profession's main concern. Now internal auditing has established itself with a far broader focus. Modern internal auditing provides services that include the examination and appraisal of controls, performance, risk and governance throughout public and private entities. Financial matters represent only one aspect of the purview of internal auditing. Requirement to have Internal Audit Activity In January 2004, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had approved new rules proposed...
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...independent expert of a particular activity or event. There are many types of audits such as financial, operational, technological etc. The most popular reference to audits, however; are the ones that examine financial statements. Auditing is the examination and systematic structural evaluation of an organized business. The evaluation is made up of operations within the business organization and the products and developments of production occurring within the business system. An investigation into past history of a business is involved in auditing. Records and data about a company are also involved, in order to measure and discover the legality of the business's transactions operations, tax reporting, and thorough handling of finances. To be blunt, audits test the financial legitimacy claimed by a business entity. According to R. Gene Brown’s “Changing Audit Objectives and Techniques”, (The Accounting Review, Vol. 37, No. 4), reviewing the history of auditing helps to provide a basis for analyzing and interpreting the changes which have occured in audit objectives and procedures over the years. Fundamentally, this review shows a recent significant correlation between expanded reliance on internal controls and a decrease in detailed testing. The future of auditing will probably consist primarily of a procedural or systematic review, with the analysis of effectiveness of internal controls providing the major basis for the procedural evaluation. Various arguments seem to support this view...
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...Kristin Bamberger Business Risk and Auditing Regis University Auditing Principles June 28, 2014 Business Risk and Auditing In the eyes of the average person auditing is a very black and white business as is all aspects of accounting. However, neither of these are as cut-and-dry as people would like to think. Auditors, as many people assume, are not always looking for fraud. Their main purpose in auditing is to ensure the financial statements comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Auditing is as much for external users as it is for internal users. It is important for internal users because they can ensure they are complying with many of the GAAP laws. For external users auditing allows them to make educated decisions on which companies to invest in and they can see both business risk and audit risk. For any given auditing firm they will evaluate a potential client before actually committing to doing an audit. Auditors are looking at business risk and are always aware of audit risk. These two terms are glaringly different and yet go hand-in-hand for auditors. Many people think that business and audit risk are all about fraud, however, audit risk is more about legally protecting the auditing firm and the CPA’s while business risk is about protecting people that may invest or lend money to a business. Fraud is not actually a large part of auditing because auditing is looking at internal controls, and if a company has strong internal controls they...
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...Management Perspectives, ISSN: 1307-1629, 2008, 1(1), 49-70. The Effect of the External Auditors’ Ability to Assess Fraud Risk on Their Ability to Detect the Likelihood of Fraud Nahariah Jaffar* Faculty of Management, Multimedia University Arfah Salleh Graduate School of Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia Takiah Mohd Iskandar Faculty of Economics and Business Management, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hasnah Haron School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia ABSTRACT The Malaysian Approved Standards on Auditing, AI 240 on “Fraud and Error” (MIA, 1997) requires the auditor to assess the risk of fraud and error during the audit of financial statements. Based on the risk assessment, the auditor should design audit procedures to obtain reasonable assurance that misstatements arising from fraud and error that are material to the financial statements taken as a whole are detected. Inability of the external auditor to detect material misstatements, particularly intentional misstatements, may expose the external auditor to litigation. The present study aims to examine the effect of the external auditor’s ability to assess fraud risk on his/her ability to detect the likelihood of fraud. An experimental approach is adopted by sending case materials to audit partners and audit managers attached to auditing firms operating in Malaysia. The result shows that in a high fraud risk scenario, the external auditor’s ability to assess fraud risk has a positive effect on his/her...
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...how the reporting requirements of the PCAOB reduce the chance of financial fraud. Basically, the goal of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is to improve quality of audited financial statements, reduce the risk of auditing failures, and increase public trust in financial reporting processes and of the auditing profession. In order for this to happen PCAOB must refocus and remind auditors of the standards required of them regarding fraud and for them to be diligent about their responsibilities relating to fraud. The purpose of auditing a financial statement is to detect material misstatements and false or missing information caused by fraud. The PCAOB reporting requirements place a lot of emphasis on disclosure in financial reporting however the board provides guidance and information that are relevant which should be disclosed within the financial statements. PCAOB also dictates to management and to the auditor their roles and responsibilities in financial reporting. PCAOB requires these standards and duties to be followed reinforces the accounting professionals to be able to reduce fraud in financial reporting at the same time ensuring investors receive accurate financial information. According to Rischall, PCAOB has established auditing, quality control, ethics, and independence standards to be used by registered public accounting firms in the preparation of audited financial statements for publicly traded companies, as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002...
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