PCAOB Rule 3211, Auditor Reporting of Certain Audit Participants, requires that an audit firm file a form, referred to as Form AP, for each initial issuance of an audit report. On Form AP, the audit firm discloses the name of each audit engagement partner who participated in the audit, as well as the names and locations of any other audit firms participating in 5 percent or more of the audit engagement. The total number of audit firms participating in less than 5 percent of the audit engagement, as well as the overall percentage of audit hours contributed by these firms, are also required to be disclosed. Access the textbook website to obtain the file “PCAOB Form AP Data” that includes data obtained from the PCAOB’s AuditorSearchSM database and the related data dictionary. Sort the dataset by fiscal period date to obtain the subset of Form AP filings for audits of financial statements that had a fiscal year end anytime during 2017 to complete the following: 

Required:

a. How many Form APs relate to 2017 audits? 

b. What is the name of the individual who served as the engagement partner for Nordstrom Inc.? What other engagement(s) did that individual also serve as engagement partner? 

c. Which global audit firm had the highest number of Form AP filings for 2017 audits (Some of the global firms have more than one firm ID number)? How many Form APs were filed by that firm on a global basis? How many of those Form APs relate to the U.S.-based practice of that firm? 

d. For which firm did Joseph D’Introno work in 2017? How many AP forms were filed for him for 2017 audits? What type of public company audit clients did he mostly serve in 2017? 

e. How many Form APs relate to partners in the Atlanta Office of Ernst & Young, LLP?