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Generally Accepted Accounting Standards

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Generally Accepted Accounting Standards
Auditing is an important part of any business. The auditor has many standards in which he or she must follow in order to comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Standards (GAAS) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). Many factors play a part in the audit process. Every company has their own specific way, but public companies have to follow generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Elements of the GAAS
General Standards
There are three “elements” associated in the standards of GAAS; these are general standards, standards of fieldwork, and standards of reporting (Boynton W. & Johnson R., 2006). General Standards require that every auditor must have a formal university education, practical training, and experience in auditing, and continuing education in the auditor’s professional career (Boynton W. & Johnson R., 2006). Therefore, training and ability are very important. An auditor must also be able to think objectively. An auditor cannot have any encouragement from outside sources in decision-making. The last general standard is that the auditor must be proficient and avoid any careless mistakes while contributing to the audit in review (Boynton W. & Johnson R., 2006).
Standards of Fieldwork
The second element is standards of fieldwork. The standards of fieldwork are the conduct of the auditor while at the entity’s place of business (Boynton W. & Johnson R., 2006). Organization is a very important task while out in the field during an audit. The auditor will have tactics and schedules in place for all personnel assisting with the audit to ensure proper motivation and supervision is given. The auditor will need to know about the entity’s business practice, accounting policies, external factors, entity’s objectives, reviews of financial performance,

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