Which statement is least appropriate?

Test results will be contained in working papers held in audit files. Working papers should:

a. set out the objectives of the work. All documentation is prepared or secured for a reason and this reason should be defined at the outset.

b. be clear. The working papers should be laid out clearly to promote their use during report writing and review of work.

c. be indexed. The first enclosure of any file should always consist of an index to the papers.

d. support the audit decisions/opinion. Working papers are secured primarily to ensure that audit findings can be justified.

e. use pro formas. One way to promote the use of audit standards in working papers is to use standardized documents.

f. be cross-referenced. Working papers form a whole in that together they tell the story of the audit in terms of work carried out and resultant findings.

g. be economically used. Working papers contain evidence and material relating to the audit.

h. Headed. All documents should contain headers with the name of the audit, date, relevant officers and other details.
i. clearly show any impact on the audit report. Some documents have a profound impact on the audit report while others provide background.
j. be signed by the auditor and the reviewer. It is a practice to place at the bottom of each document, boxes for ‘prepared by’ and ‘reviewed by’ along with spaces for the dates.
k. show the work carried out. Documents support the audit opinion and contain matters that may be referred to in the audit report.
l. show the source of information/data. The origins of information in working papers should be clearly defined.
m. indicate which matters are outstanding. A working paper will say what has been done and the results of this work.
n. show any impact on the next audit. The working paper indicates what has been left for later consideration.
o. be complete. There is nothing more frustrating than reviewing a file that suggests that certain items have been missed for no apparent reason.
p. be consistent. Working papers should be wholly consistent. This is important where the audit has been done over a long time period and/or involves several auditors, each dealing with a different part.
q. include full details of documents examined during the audit. Summaries tend not to tell the whole story so all printouts and documentation in that they impact on the audit should be held on the audit file.