a) Representations by management are one source of audit evidence. They may be an important part of audit evidence in the audit of companies of all sizes. ISA 580 management representations, requires that auditors obtain written confirmation of appropriate representations before the audit report is issued. Representations are required:-
i) To allow directors to acknowledge their collective responsibility for the preparation of financial statements and to confirm that they have approved them.
ii) To confirm matters material to the financial statements where the representations are critical to obtaining sufficient, appropriate audit evidence.
iii) Critical representations will be those where knowledge of the facts is confined to management (e.g. management‘s intention to dispose off major assets) and those where the matter is principally one of judgment and opinion (e.g. with respect to
litigation process or on the trading position of one particular customer or the appropriateness of change in accounting policy)
b) ?With respect to the debts due from the overseas agent, we acknowledge: -
i) That we have included all such amounts as owed and no amounts outstanding are unrecorded.
ii) That as at 31 December 2000, the amounts owed by the agent total to Sh.270 million.
iii) That there is no reason to believe that the amount is not recoverable from the agent overseas. However, in the determination of provision for doubtful debts, this figure is included to determine the general provision.
c) Audit procedures
Existence and title
i) Carry out a debtors circularisation i.e. send the debtor a circular. If they reply, then at least one can be assured they exist and whether or not they owe the company any money.
ii) Verify if there are any payments that have been received from these debtors after year end.
iii) In the absence of any contradiction, the directors‘ representations would be relied upon.
Valuation
i) I would check that the balance is made up of specific invoices relating to recent transactions and enquiring into any balances which appear to be dispute or old.
ii) Verify if there are any payments that have been received from these debtors after year end.
iii) I would discuss with management the recoverability of balances that are in dispute or appear doubtful.
iv) Seek any information that could indicate that some of the debtors might be unable to pay e.g. bankruptcy of a debtor
Disclosure
i) Compare the method of disclosure adopted by management with what is recommended by IAS and company‘s Act e.g. is the debt shown net of any provisions if necessary. Verify that the debtors are correctly classified as current assets;
ii) Management should confirm in their representation that they have disclosed all the relevant information in relation to debtors.
(d) Management maybe unwilling to sign letters of representations. If management declines the auditor should inform management that he will himself prepare a statement in writing setting out his understanding of any representations that may have been made during the course of the audit and then sends this statement to management with a request for confirmation that the auditor‘s understanding of the representation is correct. If management disagrees with the auditor‘s statement of representation, discussions should be held to clarify the matters in doubt and if necessary a revised statement
prepared and agreed. Should management fail to reply the auditor should follow the matter up to try to ensure that his understanding of the position as set out in his statement is correct. In rare circumstances the auditor may be completely unable to obtain written representations, which he requires. E.g. because of refusal by management to cooperate, or because management properly declines to give representations required on the grounds of its own uncertainty regarding that particular issue. In such circumstances the auditor may have to conclude that he has not received all the information and explanations required and consequently may need to consider qualifying his audit report on the grounds of limitation in the scope of the audit.
Wilfykil answered the question on February 21, 2019 at 11:59
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