Why auditor cannot provide Absolute level of assurance in audit engagement?
According to International Standards on Auditing ISAs, auditor is required to obtain reasonable assurance whether financial statements give true and fair view or in others words he must be reasonably sure that financial statements are free from material misstatements. Again, I must emphasize he needs to be reasonably sure and NOT absolutely sure. There is […]
What is meant by Sale or Return?
Buying and selling arrangements between sellers and buyers may take different forms and sales contracts can have some unusual terms agreed between the parties. However, one of the common arrangements between supplier and customer is ‘sale or return‘ also known as ‘sale and return‘. This term is also commonly used as an alternative term to mean consignment […]
What is meant by Audit evidence?
Auditors objective or in simple words responsibility with respect to audit engagement is only to the extent of expression his opinion on financial statements whether they have been prepared in accordance with applicable financial reporting framework and giving true and fair view of entity’s business. Although expression of opinion might look like not much of […]
Why impairment of goodwill is not reversed?
First of all we must be clear that goodwill is an intangible asset that entities can recognize in their financial statements but only such goodwill that is acquired in business combination. Internal goodwill or in-house goodwill is not recognized as entity’s assets in books of accounts. One more thing to understand is that goodwill is […]
What is meant by ‘lowering detection risk’ in auditing?
A practitioner (or simply auditor) performing audit engagement is required to reduce audit risk to such level that is suitable to provide reasonable assurance to the intended users. By audit risk we mean that probability that auditor express an inappropriate audit opinion when the financial statements are materially misstated i.e. auditor stated that financial statements […]
What is meant by Assertions in audit or auditing?
Assertions or management assertions in audit or auditing simply means what management claims. For example, if a management states that internal controls are effective then it is a claim or assertion made by management. Similarly, it is primarily the responsibility of the management of the entity to prepare financial statements in which all the assets, […]
What is the difference between Attestation engagement and Direct reporting engagement in auditing?
Before we discuss the difference between attestation engagement and direct reporting engagement, lets understand what is assurance engagement at first place. Assurance engagement is simply an engagement conducted by a practitioner at the end of which he expresses his opinion on the measurement of subject matter against a criteria. This opinion will ultimately enhance the degree of […]
What is Detection risk?
According to International Auditing Standards detection risk is defined as follows: The risk that the procedures performed by the auditor to reduce audit risk to an acceptably low level will not detect a misstatement that exists and that could be material, either individually or when aggregated with other misstatements. In simple words detection risk is […]
What is difference between full and reduced substantive testing?
First of all lets clear out few things which are essential for this question to be answered. Latest ISAs are based on business risk approach to conduct an audit engagement and requires the auditor to use this approach to design and apply audit procedures. The question of whether to apply full substantive procedures or detailed […]
What is Audit Evidence?
IAASB auditing standards use professional code of ethics issued by International Ethical Standards Board of Accountants (IESBA) to describe the ethical requirements for conducting an audit. However, accountancy bodies all over the world have their own ethical standards for their members working as accounting and auditors. One common requirement in every ethical standard is that […]
