Preview

Audit assignment

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
440 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Audit assignment
Weaknesses in an Internal Audit Control System by Osmond Vitez, Demand Media
An internal audit control system is a common safeguard found in business today. This safeguard is broken down into two parts: internal audits and internal controls. Internal audits are informal reviews by the business owner or employees. They provide information on internal operations in employee performance. Internal controls represent the specific policies the business owner, manager and employees must follow in the business. Internal audit control systems have a few weaknesses that business owners must address.

Broad Application
Internal audit control systems can be very broad in their application and this can create a weaker internal audit control system. Business owners should attempt to develop a system that focuses on specific business issues. Control systems that cover too many business departments or functions may not produce the maximum benefit for companies. Control systems should contain a few well-defined policies for each department. This also allows operational managers and employees to help the business owner maintain the focus on proper application of the control system policies.

Time Consuming
Creating internal safeguards is often a time consuming process. Business owners may also face the disadvantage of learning about control systems while working in the business. Internal audit control systems can also be time consuming for owners and managers to maintain. Time-consuming safeguards may cause managers and employees to find ways of getting around the control system. This weakness can create difficult management situations for owners attempting to maintain proper business practices. Business owners may also be unable to dedicate the time needed to review extensive internal audit control systems.

Lack of Knowledge
Business owners may be unaware of the best internal control audit systems to implement in the company. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Understanding internal controls is necessary to plan and complete the audit. The audit is not designed to obtain any type of reasonable assurance about these controls. If any significant deficiencies within the internal control system are discovered during the audit we will express concern to management, and the audit team will be made aware our findings.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before any strategy takes place, an auditor must determine the end result desired from the Information Technology being used as well as the type of technology being dealt with. The most important thing is security thus it is vital to know this technology in and out to be able to determine its strengths and weaknesses. This allows for proper compensation to combat such attacks whether they are fraudulent or accidental in nature. It is necessary to be familiar with different types of proven viable internal control setups to properly test and gage an IT’s internal control system. There are three different strategies use when testing internal controls. First includes assessing the controls using user control information. In this strategy, an auditor would gather computer-generated reports and compare those to all documentation on specific transactions. This process is also known as auditing around the computer because it deals with more hard copy documents. The next strategy entails using application controls to determine the level of risk…

    • 627 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Acct 504 Case Study 2

    • 1108 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Internal controls are vital to any company’s business and financial sustainability. Internal controls consist of measures taken by a company safeguarding against fraud, and theft. Internal controls ensure accuracy and reliability in accounting data, and secure policies within the organization. Further, internal controls evaluate all levels of performance. These are addressed with five principles of internal control: Establishment of responsibility, Segregation of duties, Documentation procedures, Physical controls, Independent internal verification, and Human resource controls.…

    • 1108 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Internal Control - Integrated Framework Executive Summary Senior executives have long sought ways to better control the enterprises they run. Internal controls are put in place to keep the company on course toward profitability goals and achievement of its mission, and to minimize surprises along the way. They enable management to deal with rapidly changing economic and competitive environments, shifting customer demands and priorities, and restructuring for future growth. Internal controls promote efficiency, reduce risk of asset loss, and help ensure the reliability of financial statements and compliance with laws and regulations. Because internal control serves many important purposes, there are increasing calls for better internal control systems and report cards on them. Internal control is looked upon more and more as a solution to a variety of potential problems. Internal Control Internal control means different things to different people. This causes confusion among businesspeople, legislators, regulators and others. Resulting miscommunication and different expectations cause problems within an enterprise. Problems are compounded when the term, if not clearly defined, is written into law, regulation or rule. This report deals with the needs and expectations of management and others. It defines and describes internal control to: 1. Establish a common definition serving the needs of different parties. 2. Provide a standard against which business and other entities--large or small, in the public or private sector, for profit or not--can assess their control systems and determine how to improve them. Internal control is broadly defined as a process, effected by an entity's board of directors, management and other personnel, designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives in the following categories: 1. Effectiveness and efficiency of operations. 2. Reliability of financial reporting. 3. Compliance with applicable laws and…

    • 2817 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Companies will often use internal controls in the accounting department in order to avoid abuse and inaccurate data recording as well as protecting companies from fraud. Internal controls will also be used by companies as a means to avoid theft of assets, and unauthorized use. The acquisition and disposal of assets is also a very important part of internal controls. These policies and procedures will help companies in the prevention or detection of any unauthorized acquisition, use or the disposition of its assets, as these types of activities could have a negative impact on the company’s financial statements. But in order for the internal controls to work, management has to ensure the proper protocols are being followed.…

    • 1015 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Internal controls are an essential asset to any company that wishes to maintain their company’s security and accuracy. These controls help to protect the assets belonging to a company from unforeseen events such as employee theft, robbery, or any sort of unauthorized use (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008). They also create the opportunity for accounting records to be more accurate and reliable by limiting the possibility for errors and irregularities (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008). An independent internal verification that is provided via internal controls maximizes the benefits of this system (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008). There should be physical, mechanical, and electronic controls so that when jobs are segregated, there are more than one opportunities for a final verification of accuracy (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008).…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Since these assets are a businesses’ or corporations’ most valuable resources, they must be protected from theft and unauthorized use by creating, and implementing, a company “internal controls system.” Internal controls are procedures and protocols by which a company conducts internal monitoring. Through self-monitoring, a company increases the chance of success. Also, these controls systems ensure the liable parties invested in companies that their business are running efficient. Internal controls form an integral part of any business. In laymen’s terms, it is a system of internal controls which minimize errors in the accounting records, and deter fraud and embezzlement. Because these internal controls protect against many illegal happenings in businesses, they are rightfully required by law.…

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    This paper will discuss the internal controls and how they work in business. I will shed some light on the organizations financial and business policies, process and procedures. The purpose of these internal controls is to protect the company’s resources against fraud, misappropriate funds and most important waste. A company can spend quite a bit of money that does not make the company any profit. This paper will examine all aspects if internal controls and their functions.…

    • 1193 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The control environment is the overall attitude, awareness, and actions of management regarding the internal control system and its importance to the business. Risk assessment and analysis promote awareness of issues by identifying internal and external risk factors and increase the achievement of company objectives. Control activities include both preventative controls used to avoid potential problems and detective controls, used to detect errors, fraud, and irregularities. Communicating the information from internal and external sources in a reliable, relevant, and timely manner is vital to the operation and control of a company. Monitoring is the last component and entails reviewing and assessing the internal control procedures to evaluate the design, execution, and effectiveness (UCOP,…

    • 1165 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Miniscribe

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Internal accounting control is crucial to internal control in a company. Accounting control is the methods and procedures for authorizing transactions, safeguarding assets and ensuring the accuracy of the financial records.…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The internal controls will include but are not limited to activity or functional management evaluations, transaction assessments, reconciliations, statistics processing and physical controls, and separation of duties. The evaluation of application of internal controls inside an accounting system should be ongoing and frequent.…

    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Having strong internal control thrusts a company beyond its present-day limits, thus facilitating the implementation of the best practices and providing necessary resources that aid in making them unique. Srinivasan (2014) stated, “Markets have been able to use the information to assess companies more effectively, managers have improved internal processes, and the internal control testing has become more cost-effective over time” (para. 9).…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To safeguard the assets, enhance the reliability of the accounting records, increase efficiency within the financial operations, safeguard the assets of the company, and ensure proper compliance with the laws and regulations, the Internal Control report is crucial to the company. A controlled environment, risk assessment, activity control, information and communication, and group monitoring should all be a part of the internal control report (Kimmel 349).…

    • 1134 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Acct 504 Case Study 2

    • 1426 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Thank you for selecting our firm to provide your company with an evaluation of your organizations internal control system. Internal control systems are vital in securing your organizations assets, it will limit the risk of fraud as well as misuse of your assets. Comprehending how to separate duties among your employees will aid in improving transparency as well as keep your company financially strong.…

    • 1426 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ch07 PrinciplesOfAuditing Ed3

    • 18348 Words
    • 51 Pages

    INTERNAL CONTROL AND CONTROL RISK 7.1 Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to Understand the basic definition of internal control. Discuss why internal controls are important to the auditor. Characterize the differences between general and application IT controls and how to reduce IT risk. Distinguish between the different components of internal control. Describe the elements of the control environment. Evaluate how managements objectives are related to risk assessment. Explain the effects of information and communication on the internal control system. Distinguish between the major types of control activities. Give examples of major types of control procedures (activities). Identify monitoring controls. Distinguish between hard and soft controls and understand their control objectives. Know what is meant by design of controls. Follow what an auditor does in preliminary planning assessments of internal control risk. 7.2 Introduction Internal control is not only essential to maintaining the accounting and financial records of an organization, it is essential to managing the entity. Everyone from the external auditors to management to the board of directors to the stockholders of large public companies to government, have an interest in internal controls. In many parts of the world, regulators have emphasized the importance of internal control by requiring management to make annual public statements about the effectiveness of internal controls. Reinforcing internal controls is generally seen as one of the most important steps in avoiding negative surprises. Even a company that is considered in control will face risks. Effective internal controls will ensure that risks are identified at an early stage. Company risk management procedures will identify ways to deal with these risks, to the extent possible. As we discussed in Chapter 6 Main Audit Concepts and Planning the Audit (ISA 300, 315, 320), the consideration of internal control is…

    • 18348 Words
    • 51 Pages
    Powerful Essays