1. Audit Planning

2. Audit Planning Decide whether ornot to accept theprospective client Obtain knowledgeof clients business and industry Make preliminary arrangements withthe client Prepare theengagement letterPrepare the auditplan, preliminary program, andtimebudget 3. Obtaining Clients Deciding Whether to Accept Clients

Engagement risk auditors overall risk of association with a client.

Reduce engagement risk by considering managements reputation and the financial strength of the prospective client.

With clients permission contact third parties concerning:

• Financial history and credit rating (banker)

• Legal environment (attorneys)

4. Obtaining ClientsCommunications with Predecessor Auditor

SAS 84 (AU 315) requires the successor auditor to attempt to communicate with the predecessor auditor before accepting the engagement.

• Recall Rule 301 pertaining to confidential client information.Must ask client to authorize the communication.

SEC Form 8-K for public companies

• Discourages opinion shopping

5. Engagement Letters Responsibilities of Each Party

Management responsibilities

• Financial statements

• Establishing effective internal control over financial reporting

• Compliance with laws and regulations

• Making records available to the auditors

• Providing written representations at end of the audit, including that adjustments discovered by the auditors and not made to the financials are not material

Auditor responsibilities

• Conducting an audit in accordance with GAAS

• Obtaining an understanding of internal control to plan audit and to determine the nature, timing and extent of procedures

• Making communications required by GAAS

6. Engagement Letters Other Items

Arrangements regarding

• Conduct of the audit (e.g., timing, client assistance)

• Use of specialists or internal auditors

• Obtaining information from predecessor auditors

• Fees and billing

Limitation of or other arrangements regarding liability of auditors or client

Conditions under which access to the auditors working papers may be granted to others

7. Understanding the Clients Business

Attractiveness of the Industry

• Barriers to entry

• Strength of competitors

• Bargaining power of suppliers of raw materials and labor

• Bargaining power of customers

Clients operations

• Accounting policies

• Industry and regulatory factors

• Strategies and related business risks

• Measurement and review of performance

• Internal control

8. Understanding the Clients BusinessBasic Strategy

Basic strategies

• Product differentiation

• Cost leadership

Implications of strategy for assessing reasonableness of financial statements

9. Relationship Between Strategy and Financial Statement Results

ROA = NI / TA

Dupont Analysis

• ROA = (NI / Sales) x (Sales / TA)

• = Net Profit Margin x Asset Turnover

Assume ROA = 10% for Firms A & B

• Profit MarginAsset Turnover

• Firm A 10% 1.0

• Firm B 2% 5.0

10. Materiality

Consideration (but not quantification) of materiality is required most firms do quantify.

No universal rules for assessing materiality only guidelines and professional judgment

Some methods for quantifyingoverallmateriality

• 5 to 10% of net income before taxes

• to 1% of total assets

• to 1% of total revenues

• 1% of total equity

• AICPA table

11. Materiality Allocating Overall Materiality

Multiply overall materiality by a factor (usually 1.5 to 2.0) and allocate to the various accounts.

• Multiplying by a factor before allocating alleviates excessive conservatism

• Allocation is typically to balance sheet accounts (balance sheet approach)

12. Materiality Qualitative Considerations

Remember materiality depends not only on amount, but also on nature of transaction, for example:

• Illegal payments

• Compliance with contractual agreements

• Reversal of earnings trend

• Changes a loss into income, or vice versa

• Items that can be measured with precision versus items that arise from estimates

13. Assessing Fraud Risks

Two types

• Fraudulent financial reporting (management fraud)

• Misappropriation of assets (defalcations)

Procedures to assess fraud risks

• Discussion among engagement team

• Inquiries of management and other personnel

• Planning analytical procedures

• Considering fraud risk factors

• • Incentives

• • Opportunity

• • Attitude

14. Assessing Fraud RisksIdentifying Fraud Risks

Considerations in identifying fraud risks

• Type

• Significance

• Likelihood that it will result in a material misstatement

• Pervasiveness

15. Responding to Fraud Risks

Overall response

• Professional skepticism and audit evidence

• Assigning personnel and supervision

• Accounting principles

• Predictability of auditing procedures

Alterations in audit procedures

• More reliable evidence

• Shifting timing to year end

• Increasing sample sizes

Response to the possibility of management override

• Examining journal entries

• Review accounting estimates for biases

• Evaluating the business rationale for significant unusual transactions

16. Consideration of Fraud Throughout the Audit

Evaluating the results of audit tests

Discovery of fraud

• Communication to appropriate level of management

• If fraud involves senior management or material misstatement communicate to audit committee

17. Audit Plans

Provides an overview of the engagement.Typically includes:

• Description of client company

• Audit objectives

• Other services

• Scheduling of work

• Role of clients staff

• Staffing requirements

• Target dates

• Special audit risks

• Significant risks related to errors and fraud

• Preliminary judgments about materiality

18. Audit Programs

Organization of the Audit Program

• Systems (Internal Control)

• • Revenue Cycle

• • Acquisition

• • Production

• • Payroll

• • Investing/Financing

• Substantive tests

• • Organized by major balance sheet accounts

19. The Audit Trail Direction of Audit Testing Start Finish Test for Completeness Finish Start Test for Existence Source Documents Journals Ledgers 20. Timing of Audit Work

Interim Work

• Consideration of Internal Controls

• Substantive work on transactions to date

It should be remembered that interim work should be supplemented with additional work covering the period between the interim date and the end of the year