Auditing Chapter 7

Analytical procedures involve evaluating financial information by studying plausible relationships among both financial and non-financial data. In this case, calculating the gross margin as a percent of sales and comparing it with previous periods is a form of analytical procedures. It involves analyzing the financial data (gross margin) and comparing it with historical data (previous periods) to identify any significant changes or trends. This helps in assessing the financial performance and identifying any potential issues or areas of improvement.

Bank statements are considered external documents because they are not generated or created by the company itself. They are official records provided by the bank that show the company's financial transactions, including deposits, withdrawals, and balances. Bank statements are independent and can be used as evidence in financial audits or legal proceedings. Unlike employees' time reports, purchase orders, or carbon copies of checks, which are internally generated by the company, bank statements come from an external source and provide an objective view of the company's financial activities.

Confirmations are commonly used to verify bank balances and accounts receivable. Bank balances can be confirmed by contacting the bank directly to ensure the accuracy of the reported balance. Accounts receivable confirmations involve contacting customers to validate the outstanding balances owed to the company. Both confirmations help ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial statements by independently verifying the reported figures.

Audit evidence obtained directly by the auditor will not be reliable if the auditor lacks the qualifications to evaluate the evidence. This means that if the auditor does not have the necessary knowledge, skills, or expertise to properly assess and interpret the evidence, it cannot be considered reliable. It is crucial for auditors to possess the required qualifications in order to effectively evaluate the evidence and draw accurate conclusions about the financial statements. Without the appropriate qualifications, the auditor may misinterpret the evidence and compromise the reliability of the audit findings.

The education of the auditor is not a characteristic of the reliability of evidence because it pertains to the qualifications and knowledge of the auditor, rather than the reliability of the evidence itself. The reliability of evidence is determined by factors such as the effectiveness of client internal controls, independence of the information provider, and timeliness of the evidence.

Auditors gather evidence that is persuasive because it is not always possible to obtain evidence that is irrefutable, conclusive, or completely convincing. Persuasive evidence is sufficient to support the auditor's opinion and provide reasonable assurance, even though it may not be 100% conclusive. The auditor uses professional judgment to evaluate the persuasiveness of the evidence and determine its reliability and relevance in forming an opinion on the financial statements.

The definition provided describes the process of evaluating financial information by studying the relationships between financial and nonfinancial data and comparing recorded amounts to the auditor's expectations. This aligns with the concept of analytical procedures, which involve analyzing data to identify significant fluctuations or relationships that may indicate potential errors or risks. Therefore, the correct answer is analytical procedures.

The appropriateness of evidence refers to the quality of evidence. It is not about the quantity of evidence, but rather the reliability, relevance, and credibility of the evidence presented. The appropriateness of evidence ensures that it is trustworthy, accurate, and supports the claims or arguments being made. It is important to have high-quality evidence to make informed decisions, draw valid conclusions, and support logical reasoning.

Vouching is the process where auditors use documents to support recorded transactions. It involves examining the supporting documents such as invoices, receipts, and bank statements to verify the accuracy and authenticity of the recorded transactions. This helps auditors ensure that the transactions have been properly recorded and are supported by appropriate evidence.

The given answer, "Recompute - documentation," is not a correct combination of terms and related type of audit evidence because recomputing involves verifying the mathematical accuracy of calculations, which is a substantive procedure, not a type of audit evidence. Documentation, on the other hand, refers to the support and evidence obtained from client-provided documents. Therefore, the combination of recompute and documentation does not align with the correct types of audit evidence.

Evidence is generally considered appropriate when it has the qualities of being relevant, objective, and free from known bias. This means that the evidence should be directly related to the matter being examined, it should be unbiased and not influenced by personal opinions or interests, and it should be reliable and accurate. By ensuring these qualities, the evidence can be considered trustworthy and can provide a reasonable basis for forming an opinion on financial statements.

The physical count of securities and cash is the most objective type of evidence because it involves directly observing and counting the actual assets. This evidence is tangible and verifiable, providing a concrete and accurate representation of the assets' existence and value. In contrast, the other options involve subjective information or interpretations that may be influenced by personal opinions or biases. The letter from the attorney, inquiries of the credit manager, and observation of cobwebs on inventory bins are all subjective forms of evidence that may not provide a reliable or unbiased assessment of the situation.

The correct answer is a financial statement auditor. A financial statement auditor is an independent and objective professional who examines and evaluates an organization's financial records and statements. They are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of financial information. Confirmations, which are requests for verification of financial information from external parties such as customers and banks, are an important part of the auditing process. By having confirmations controlled by a financial statement auditor, it ensures that the evidence obtained is unbiased and reliable.

The major types of analytical procedures involve comparing the client's financial information with industry averages, prior year data, and budget figures. These comparisons help identify any significant deviations or trends that may require further investigation. However, comparing the client with SEC averages is not considered one of the major types of analytical procedures. This is because SEC averages are not readily available or commonly used for comparison purposes, unlike industry averages, prior year data, and budget figures.

The correct answer is "To be relevant, evidence must pertain to the audit objective of the evidence." This means that in order for evidence to be considered relevant, it must be directly related to the specific objective of the audit being conducted. The evidence should support or provide information that is necessary to achieve the audit objective and help in forming a conclusion or opinion about the subject matter being audited.

The persuasiveness of evidence is determined by its appropriateness and sufficiency. Appropriateness refers to whether the evidence is relevant and applicable to the argument or claim being made. It should directly support the point being made and be free from any biases or fallacies. Sufficiency, on the other hand, refers to the quantity and quality of evidence provided. It should be enough to convince the audience and address any potential counterarguments. Therefore, evidence that is both appropriate and sufficient is more likely to be persuasive.

The auditor's goal is to obtain a sufficient amount of timely, reliable evidence that is relevant to the information being verified. However, it is important to do so at the lowest possible total cost. This means that the auditor needs to balance the need for obtaining enough evidence with the cost involved in obtaining it. By minimizing the total cost, the auditor can ensure that the audit is conducted efficiently and effectively, while also providing value to the client.

Analytical procedures are a crucial part of the audit process as they involve evaluating financial information through analysis and comparison. These procedures help auditors assess the reasonableness of the financial statements and detect any potential misstatements or irregularities. The planning phase is important because it allows auditors to identify key areas of risk and determine the appropriate scope and nature of the audit procedures. The completion phase is also crucial as it involves finalizing the audit and ensuring that all necessary procedures have been performed. Therefore, analytical procedures are required during both the planning and completion phases of the audit.

The reliability of evidence is determined by various factors, such as the qualification of the individual providing the information, the auditor's direct knowledge, and the degree of objectivity. However, the degree of subjectivity is not a characteristic of the reliability of evidence. Subjectivity refers to personal opinions or biases, which can undermine the objectivity and reliability of evidence. Therefore, the absence of subjectivity enhances the reliability of evidence.

The correct answer is "Documentary evidence is more reliable when it is received by the auditor indirectly rather than directly." This statement is not correct because documentary evidence is generally considered more reliable when it is received directly by the auditor, rather than indirectly. Indirect receipt of documentary evidence can introduce potential risks of tampering, manipulation, or misinterpretation of the evidence, making it less reliable compared to direct receipt.

The auditor should investigate further if significant differences are not expected but do exist. This suggests that there may be errors or irregularities in the financial statements that need to be investigated and resolved.

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A vendor invoice is a document that the auditor receives from the client but is prepared by someone outside the client's organization. This document is typically sent by a vendor to the client to request payment for goods or services provided. The auditor may review these invoices to ensure that they are accurate and properly recorded in the client's financial statements. Confirmation, sales invoice, and bank reconciliation are not examples of documents prepared by someone outside the client's organization.

Performing analytical procedures in the planning phase of an audit helps the auditor obtain an understanding of the client's industry and business. Analytical procedures involve evaluating financial information by studying plausible relationships among both financial and non-financial data. By comparing current year data to industry benchmarks, historical data, and client expectations, auditors can identify unusual fluctuations or trends that may indicate potential risks or areas of further investigation. This understanding of the client's industry and business is crucial for the auditor to effectively plan the audit procedures and identify areas of potential risk or misstatements.

The correct answer is "The auditor need not consider the independence of an information source when obtaining evidence." This statement is not correct because the independence of an information source is an important factor to consider when obtaining evidence. Independent sources are less likely to have biases or conflicts of interest, making their evidence more reliable. Therefore, the auditor should always consider the independence of an information source to ensure the credibility and objectivity of the evidence obtained.

Evidence is usually more persuasive for balance sheet accounts when it is obtained as close to the balance sheet date as possible because it provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about the financial position of the company. Obtaining evidence closer to the balance sheet date ensures that any changes or transactions that occurred after that date are captured, allowing for a more accurate representation of the company's financial position. This helps in making informed decisions and assessments about the company's financial health.

Confirmation of accounts receivable is required in order to verify the accuracy and existence of the balances owed by customers. This helps to ensure that the company's financial statements reflect the true amount of money that is expected to be received. On the other hand, confirmation of accounts payable is optional as it is not necessary to confirm the balances owed to suppliers and other creditors. However, some companies may choose to confirm accounts payable to ensure the accuracy of their financial records and to maintain good relationships with their suppliers.

Analytical procedures must be used during the planning and completion phases of the audit. During the planning phase, analytical procedures help auditors gain an understanding of the client's business and identify potential risks. These procedures involve comparing financial information to prior periods, industry averages, and budgeted amounts to identify any significant fluctuations or anomalies. During the completion phase, analytical procedures are used to evaluate the overall reasonableness of the financial statements and to assess the accuracy and completeness of the audit work performed. These procedures involve comparing the financial information to expectations and investigating any significant variances.

The correct answer is that evidence must be both reliable and relevant to be considered appropriate. This means that in order for evidence to be useful in making decisions or forming judgments, it must be trustworthy and applicable to the specific situation. Reliability ensures that the evidence is accurate, verifiable, and free from bias, while relevance ensures that the evidence is directly related to the matter at hand. By requiring both reliability and relevance, decision-makers can have confidence in the information they are using to support their conclusions.

Auditors will replace tests of details with analytical procedures when possible because tests of details are more expensive. This means that conducting tests of details requires more resources, such as time and money, compared to performing analytical procedures. By using analytical procedures, auditors can save costs and still obtain sufficient evidence to support their audit conclusions. Therefore, the cost-effectiveness of analytical procedures makes them a preferred choice over tests of details.

Analytical procedures are used in the audit process to evaluate financial information by analyzing relationships and trends. They can be used as both substantive tests and tests of controls. However, analytical procedures do not specifically focus on comparing client internal controls to GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Instead, they primarily focus on identifying unusual or unexpected fluctuations or relationships in financial data. Therefore, the statement that "Analytical tests emphasize a comparison of client internal controls to GAAP" is not correct.

General ledger account balances are the most reliable form of evidence because they provide an accurate and up-to-date record of all financial transactions. These balances are regularly reconciled and verified, ensuring their accuracy. On the other hand, confirmation of accounts receivable balance received from a customer, internal memos, and copies of month-end adjusting entries may be subject to errors, manipulation, or misinterpretation. Therefore, general ledger account balances are the most trustworthy source of evidence for financial transactions.

Internal documents are documents that are generated within the company and used for internal purposes, such as communicating within the organization. They are not used to communicate with external parties.

The question is asking about the concept of relevance in auditing. Relevance in auditing refers to the degree to which information is related and useful to the specific audit objectives. General audit objectives refer to the overall goals of an audit, while transaction and balance audit objectives are more specific and focused on particular aspects of the audit. Therefore, the most appropriate answer is specific audit objectives, as relevance is primarily considered in relation to these specific objectives.

The correct answer is 2, 3, 1. This is because positive confirmations with information included are considered the most reliable type of confirmation since they provide specific details and require a response from the recipient. Blank form positive confirmations are less reliable as they do not require the recipient to provide any specific information. Negative confirmations are the least reliable as they only require a response if the recipient disagrees with the information provided. Therefore, the order of reliability from highest to lowest is 2, 3, 1.

Confirmations are widely used in auditing because they provide independent and external evidence to support the existence and accuracy of certain balances or transactions. Although they may inconvenience the parties being asked to supply them, they are considered an important and reliable audit procedure. The use of confirmations helps to enhance the reliability and credibility of the audit process by obtaining direct confirmation from third parties. Therefore, the statement that confirmations may inconvenience those asked to supply them, but they are widely used, is true.

The purpose of analytical procedures is to understand the client's industry, assess the client's ability to continue as a going concern, and reduce detailed audit tests. Evaluating internal controls, on the other hand, is not a purpose of analytical procedures. Analytical procedures are used to analyze relationships and trends in financial data, while evaluating internal controls involves assessing the effectiveness of a company's internal control system in preventing and detecting errors and fraud.

The first procedure of comparing current year's balances with the preceding year fails to consider the growth or decline in business activity. This means that changes in the business's operations and financial performance over time are not taken into account, potentially leading to incomplete or inaccurate conclusions about the financial health of the company.

The second procedure of comparing details of a particular account's balance with the preceding year ignores the relationships of data to other data. This means that the auditor is only focusing on individual account balances without considering how they relate to other accounts or financial information. This can result in a limited understanding of the overall financial picture and potential misinterpretation of the data.

A higher than normal ratio of long-term debt to net worth indicates that the company has a significant amount of debt compared to its total net worth. This suggests that the company may be facing financial difficulties and could struggle to meet its long-term debt obligations. Additionally, a lower than average ratio of profits to total assets indicates that the company is not generating enough profit relative to its total assets. This could imply that the company is not effectively utilizing its assets to generate revenue and may be at risk of financial failure.

The sufficiency of evidence when choosing a sample is affected by selecting items with a high likelihood of misstatement. This is because if the sample includes items that are more likely to have errors or misstatements, it increases the likelihood of detecting issues in the overall population. On the other hand, the randomness of the items selected does not directly affect the sufficiency of evidence. While randomness is important for ensuring the sample is representative of the population, it does not guarantee that the sample will include items with a high likelihood of misstatement.

The auditor's expected account balance is determined by relating it to some other balance sheet or income statement account or accounts. This means that the auditor will analyze the relationship between different accounts and use this analysis to estimate the expected balance. By comparing the expected balance with the actual balance, the auditor can identify any discrepancies or irregularities that may require further investigation. This method allows the auditor to assess the reasonableness and accuracy of the account balance.

The given statement "is the auditor’s principal method of evaluating the client’s internal control” is not true because the evidence-gathering technique of inquiry is not the auditor's principal method of evaluating the client's internal control. While inquiry is an important technique used by auditors to gather information, it is not the sole or primary method used to evaluate internal control. Auditors also rely on other methods such as observation, inspection, and reperformance to assess the effectiveness of internal control systems.

The correct answer is "It is possible to vary the sample size from one unit to 100% of the items in the population." This statement is incorrect because the sample size cannot be varied from one unit to 100% of the items in the population. The sample size is determined based on statistical sampling techniques and considerations such as the desired level of confidence and the acceptable level of risk. It is not possible to have a sample size that covers the entire population as that would be a census rather than a sample.

Physical examination is usually the least expensive type of audit evidence because it involves directly observing and inspecting physical assets or documents. This method typically does not require additional costs such as hiring external experts or conducting extensive data analysis. However, the cost of obtaining evidence may still be a factor in deciding whether to obtain that evidence. Other types of audit evidence, such as confirmation from third parties or analytical procedures, may incur additional expenses but could provide more reliable and comprehensive information. Therefore, while physical examination may be less expensive, the cost should still be considered in the overall decision-making process.

The auditor's count of marketable securities would be the least persuasive form of evidence in forming the auditor's opinion. This is because the auditor's count alone may not provide sufficient information about the ownership, valuation, and existence of the securities. Other forms of evidence, such as correspondence with a stockbroker or minutes of the board of directors, would provide additional information and support for the auditor's opinion.

Vouching is the process of verifying the accuracy and authenticity of transactions by examining supporting documents. In this case, tracing inventory purchases from the acquisitions journal to supporting invoices is an example of vouching because it involves verifying that the recorded purchases are supported by actual invoices. This process ensures that the transactions are valid and properly recorded in the accounting system.

Comparing the client's data with industry averages can provide an indication of the likelihood of financial problems. By comparing the client's performance to industry standards, any significant deviations or discrepancies can be identified. If the client's data consistently falls below industry averages, it could suggest potential financial problems or challenges that need to be addressed. This comparison helps to assess the client's financial health and identify areas where improvements or corrective measures may be necessary.

Auditors must make decisions regarding the sample size of evidence to gather. This decision involves determining the number of items or transactions to be tested in order to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence. On the other hand, the timing of audit procedures is not directly related to the decision of what evidence to gather and how much to accumulate.

The given answer "Trace - analytical procedures" is not a correct combination of terms and related type of audit evidence because trace is a type of audit procedure that involves examining individual transactions or items to determine if they have been accurately recorded, while analytical procedures involve the analysis of financial information through comparisons and relationships to identify potential issues or discrepancies. Therefore, trace should be paired with documentation, as it involves examining supporting documents, not analytical procedures.

A small sample of only one or two pieces of relevant, competent, and timely evidence lacks persuasiveness. This statement suggests that a small sample size may not provide enough evidence to be persuasive, even if the evidence is relevant, competent, and timely. The implication is that a larger sample size would be more persuasive as it would provide a greater body of evidence to support the objective being tested.