5 Audit Procedures You Need To Know
An audit is an independent examination of a company’s financial records. This inspection will focus on its accounts, ledgers, payroll, bank statements, accounts payable, and tax information. When you conduct an audit, the audit firms in Business Bay use a set of techniques to examine a company’s financial statements. These techniques include analytical review, observation, inquiry, and inspection. Here is brief information about these procedures.
Analytical review
Analytical review procedures are used in the planning phase of an audit. They are designed to find patterns in data that could indicate material misstatements and possible risks to an organization. They may be straightforward comparisons or more complex analyses, such as trend analyses. In both cases, using analytical review procedures helps auditors identify gaps in the financial statements.
Inquiry
Audit inquiry is the process by which the auditor asks questions of the management of an organization and seeks explanations of their actions. The auditor may conduct an informal or formal inquiry about the management of a business, financial statements, or transactions. The information obtained during this procedure is used to develop test cases and design the audit work. However, it may not be sufficient for the audit.
Observation
Observation is an essential part of auditing. It helps auditors understand what processes and procedures are in place at a client’s business. It can also help identify weaknesses in those processes and procedures. In an audit, observation must be paired with other audit procedures to be effective.
Inspection
In an audit, a company’s procedures are scrutinized to ensure accuracy. This may include an examination of documents, records, and assets. Depending on the objectives of the audit and the company’s internal controls, this method can provide varying levels of assurance. This type of audit can also be an essential component of an internal control review.
Recalculation
Recalculation is a basic auditing process that requires an auditor to recompute the amounts that appear in a financial statement. This allows the auditor to identify discrepancies between the original figures and what transpired. It also helps the auditor test the validity of the client’s valuation and allocation assertions. For example, an auditor can multiply the closing balance of a loan by the interest rate to determine whether the amount reflects the actual cost.