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(a) The auditors should take the following steps before accepting nomination as auditors of Nairobi Metal Works: -
i. The auditors should ensure that they are professionally qualified to act as auditors and not disqualified for any legal, ethical or professional reasons from acting. For example the partners in your firm should confirm that they are not servants of the company and they have not breached any of the ICPAK guidelines on professional independence.
ii. The auditors must be satisfied that the firm is able to service the clients‘ needs from existing resources by providing staff with the appropriate experience and qualifications at the right time to carry out the work.
iii. The auditors should gain an understanding of the nature of the client, and check on their status. This information will assist your firm in evaluating the potential risk in engaging with this client. For example your firm should not associate with clients whose management has a reputation of dishonesty.
iv. Your firm should seek references from other business associates of this proposed client. Again the references obtained will assist in evaluating the client for any potential risk.
(b) The fee charged by auditors should be based on the time taken and the seniority of the staff involved, taking into account the costs of the auditors practice overall. Normally, hourly rates of charge are used which will vary according to the
complexity of the work and the level of responsibility assumed by the practice in relation to the work.
The use of a contingency fee or percentage basis for calculating the fee is not acceptable for normal audit work. In this case, the auditor‘s independence could be impaired by the use of a percentage of profits after taxation as a bonus, as it could tend to discourage the auditors from proposing adjustments that reduced the profit figure. The fixed £100,000 would be acceptable if the auditors were satisfied that it was reasonable in relation to the time taken and staff employed in carrying out the audit work.
(c) Maintaining the auditors‘ independence is clearly essential if the audit opinion is to have credibility and the confidence of users of financial statements.
There are various ways in which the auditor‘s independence is preserved, even given the situation that audit fees are generally fixed by negotiation between the directors of a company and the auditors. Ethical guidance sets out various guidelines to safeguard the auditors‘ independence. T hese include a restriction on the percentageof total fees which a practice can obtain from a single client (15%) and restrictions preventing auditors from holding shares in the client company or otherwise being personally interested in the client‘s performance. It is undeniable that auditors would be more independent of the client if they were not dependent on the client for fees. The accounting profession takes the view that the best safeguards of auditor independence is provided by professional ethics and an objective attitude on the part of the auditors. It remains to be seen whether the public and the government will continue to concur with this view.
Wilfykil answered the question on February 21, 2019 at 13:01
- Inspection and monitoring of quality control by a firm of auditors involves both in-house
and external procedures. The internal procedures include the post-audit review,
sometimes known as...(Solved)
Inspection and monitoring of quality control by a firm of auditors involves both in-house and external procedures. The internal procedures include the post-audit review, sometimes known as a ―cold review. The external procedures are sometimes known as ―external practice inspections or ―peer reviews
Required:
a) Write explanatory notes on the ―cold-review
b) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the ―peer review
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Control procedures consist of practices and procedures in addition to the control
environment, established to achieve certain specific objectives. For each of the procedures
listed below, explain...(Solved)
Control procedures consist of practices and procedures in addition to the control environment, established to achieve certain specific objectives. For each of the procedures listed below, explain the purpose of the control procedures and state the tests of control you would perform to confirm that the control objective was being achieved
a) The preparation of a reconciliation statement.
b) The maintenance of a fixed assets register.
c) The existence of passwords in a micro-computer accounting system
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Many auditors now use laptops computers to perform various audit tasks. However, if audit
firms use laptop computers they risk data being corrupted and appropriate controls...(Solved)
Many auditors now use laptops computers to perform various audit tasks. However, if audit firms use laptop computers they risk data being corrupted and appropriate controls must therefore be put in place to prevent the corruption of data.
a) Explain six ways which auditors can use laptop computers in their audit work (other than computer-assisted audit techniques).
b) Explain the computer assisted audit techniques listed below:
i. Embedded audit facilities.
ii. Integrated test facilities.
c) Briefly describe two types of software that might be used by auditors in their work other than Computer Assisted Audit techniques.
d) Describe the controls that auditors should implement when using laptop computers on audits.
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- One of the responsibilities of the directors of a company is to establish strong internal controls to safeguard the assets of the firm.(Solved)
One of the responsibilities of the directors of a company is to establish strong internal controls to safeguard the assets of the firm.
Required:
a) State the audit objectives of internal controls on fixed assets.
b) Set out the audit procedures you would follow to verify directors‘ fees.
c) What procedures would you apply to verify the extension of a building that has been constructed by the client during the year?
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- An auditor is required to state whether, in his opinion proper books of account have
been kept and whether the financial statements give a true and...(Solved)
An auditor is required to state whether, in his opinion proper books of account have been kept and whether the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the financial affairs of the company being audited.
What are the consequences, to the auditor, for giving an unqualified opinion, when he knows that there are material inaccuracies in financial statements
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Your client, ABC Ltd. has a system for inputting purchase and expense invoice where the operator inputs the following from each item.(Solved)
Your client, ABC Ltd. has a system for inputting purchase and expense invoice where the operator inputs the following from each item.
-Order number (a code 2221 is used for items like electricity)
-Supplier name
-Supplier code number
-First four letters of nominal account name (entered on invoice by purchase department manager)
-Nominal account code (entered by purchase department manager) Date
-Goods inward note
-number Net amount
-VAT amount
-Gross amount
Required:
a) Suggest manual operation and controls which might previously have applied to these invoices.
b) Suggest input controls that might be applied by the program to these items.
c) List some audit tests that could be applied to these items indicating the purpose of each test and the relevant audit evidence obtained.
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- You have been the auditor of Crossborder Trading Company Ltd. for a number of years.
The company‘s head office is in Nairobi, Kenya and if has...(Solved)
You have been the auditor of Crossborder Trading Company Ltd. for a number of years. The company‘s head office is in Nairobi, Kenya and if has considerable overseas operations. At each accounting year end, there are large debts due from overseas agents of the company (Sh. 270 million out of total debts of Sh. 680 million as at 31 December 2000). In the past, these debts have always been settled after year end but you have insisted that the debts be the subject of a specific representation made by the company‘s director.
Required:
a) Outline the purpose of a letter of representation from management to the auditor.
b) Draft a paragraph for a letter of representation appropriate to the circumstances described above.
c) Outline the audit work which should be performed when seeking evidence to substantiate the management‘s representations as drafted and indicated the value of the directors‘ representations in these circumstances. You should present your answer
under the following headings:
- Existence and title.
- Valuation.
- Disclosure
d) State what action you would take if the directors refused to provide you with a letter of representation
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- List three disadvantages of using standardized audit programmes and how these disadvantages can be avoided.(Solved)
List three disadvantages of using standardized audit programmes and how these disadvantages can be avoided.
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- In the course of the audit of ABC Stationers Ltd. for the year ended 30 June 2001, you have noted and recorded in the audit...(Solved)
In the course of the audit of ABC Stationers Ltd. for the year ended 30 June 2001, you have noted and recorded in the audit working papers, the following evidential matters:
1. Flowcharts of the company‘s payroll prepared by your audit assistant backed up by tests of controls.
2. An oral statement by the production director that the expected working life of plant acquired during the year is ten years.
3. A letter to the managing director from the company‘s bank manager indicating that the bank intends to extend overdraft facilities for a period of one year.
4. A list of items of inventory counted by a member of your audit team during observation of the company‘s annual stock count.
5. A letter from a customer to your firm in reply to a confirmation request indicating agreement with the balance recorded in the books of ABC Stationers Ltd.
Required:
a) With respect to each matter listed above, explain its relevance to the overall audit objective of forming an opinion and reporting on the financial statements.
b) Explain your judgment on the reliability of the audit evidence obtained in five ways listed above.
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Under what circumstances is one ineligible for appointment as an auditor of a company?(Solved)
Under what circumstances is one ineligible for appointment as an auditor of a company?
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- You have received a request form XYZ Ltd. to accept an appointment as their auditor for the financial year ending 31 December 2001(Solved)
You have received a request form XYZ Ltd. to accept an appointment as their auditor for the financial year ending 31 December 2001
Required:
a) Explain the preliminary procedures you would carry out upon your appointment.
b) What is the importance of a preliminary review?
c) Why is it important for the auditor to hold discussions with the client‘s senior staff?
d) State why it is important for an incoming auditor to hold consultations with the outgoing auditor.
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- You have been appointed the auditor of United Millers Company Limited, a medium manufacturing company which is quoted on the stock exchange.(Solved)
You have been appointed the auditor of United Millers Company Limited, a medium manufacturing company which is quoted on the stock exchange.
Required:
a) List the important matters which must be included in the letter of engagement.
b) Explain the purpose of such a letter
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- A company wishes to change from an old computerised system to a new computer based accounting system. Explain how and why both systems should run...(Solved)
A company wishes to change from an old computerised system to a new computer based accounting system. Explain how and why both systems should run parallel prior to the change over the new system
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- State six examples of controls to prevent unauthorised changes to data files that you would expect to find in a new computer based accounting system(Solved)
State six examples of controls to prevent unauthorised changes to data files that you would expect to find in a new computer based accounting system
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- In the context of a computer based accounting system, explain the meaning of the following terms:
i) Application controls
ii) General controls(Solved)
In the context of a computer based accounting system, explain the meaning of the following terms:
i) Application controls
ii) General controls
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- You have been asked by your firm to examine the payment vouchers of a company to establish the level of errors and then decide whether...(Solved)
You have been asked by your firm to examine the payment vouchers of a company to establish the level of errors and then decide whether better results can be obtained through statistical techniques.
Required:
a) State the steps you would take in order to test the vouchers for the errors.
b) Why is it not satisfactory to pick vouchers from a limited period?
c) State under what circumstances statistical sampling is a good technique
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Write brief explanatory notes on the following audit terms:
a) Control procedures;
b) Internal check;
c) Vouching audit;
d) Walk-through tests;
e) Weakness tests;(Solved)
Write brief explanatory notes on the following audit terms:
a) Control procedures;
b) Internal check;
c) Vouching audit;
d) Walk-through tests;
e) Weakness tests;
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Outline the statutory provisions with regard to duties of external auditors(Solved)
Outline the statutory provisions with regard to duties of external auditors
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Explain the value derived from the work of external auditors.(Solved)
Explain the value derived from the work of external auditors.
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)
- Write briefly explanatory notes on the following types of audit:
i. Statutory audit;
ii. Private audit;
iii. Balance sheet audit;
iv. Management audit;(Solved)
Write briefly explanatory notes on the following types of audit:
i. Statutory audit;
ii. Private audit;
iii. Balance sheet audit;
iv. Management audit;
Date posted: February 21, 2019. Answers (1)