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In the Paper F8 exam you may be asked to compute and interpret the key ratios used in analytical procedures at both the audit planning stage and when collecting audit evidence.

RELEVANT to ACCA QUAlification paper F8

In the Paper F8 exam you may be asked to compute and interpret the key ratios used in analytical procedures at both the audit planning stage and when collecting audit evidence. Ratios and comparisons can be used to identify where the accounts might be wrong, and where additional auditing effort should be spent.
Calculating a ratio is easy, and usually is little more than dividing one number by another. Indeed, the calculations are so basic that they can be programmed into a spreadsheet. The real skill comes in interpreting the results and using that information to carry out a better audit. Saying that a ratio has increased because the top line in the calculation has increased (or the bottom line decreased) is rather pointless: this is simply translating the calculation into words. Use the mnemonic RATIO to remind yourself to keep asking the following questions:
¤ Reason – why has this change occurred?
¤ Accident – is the change real or simply an accident of timing?
¤ Test – what can be done to test our conclusions?
What other work should we do?
¤ Implications – what does this change mean?
Liquidity crisis? Poor management etc?
¤ Other information – is this consistent with other information?

You should not write this out in the answer as this will waste time and will not gain you marks, but the five classes of question should always be at the back of your mind.
There is a huge variety of businesses and this diversity will be reflected in their financial statements. To judge whether a figure or ratio is worth investigating, it is absolutely necessary
to

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