Rogers has stated that he wants the auditing firm to help improve Lakeside's accounting systems. Exhibit 4-3 identifies the revenue recognition procedures currently used in connection with distributorship sales. List the improvements that could be made to this system. Exhibit 4-3 CLIENT COMPANY: Lakeside Company SYSTEM: Revenue and Cash Receipts Cycle Distributorship MEMO PREPARATION: Horace Clarke - 12/02/08 SYSTEM REVIEW AND UPDATE: Part A - Revenue Recognition - Distributorship All distributorship sales are made by telephone. Either the customer or a Lakeside representative calls in each order. The Sales Division immediately records the incoming data on a prenumbered invoice that serves initially as a sales order form. This document is prepared in five copies with the last three being retained by the Sales Division in a temporary file by invoice number. The first copy is sent to Stan Wisdon in the Inventory Department who verifies the availability of the purchased items. If the merchandise is in the warehouse, it can be sent out almost immediately. However, if any items must be ordered from Cypress, the waiting time may be as long as three weeks. Wisdon estimates the ship-out date, completes and initials the sales invoice, and returns it to the Sales Division. The second copy of the sales invoice goes to George Miller, Assistant to the President. Miller maintains the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger. He also keeps a list of approved customers with maximum credit limits. However, acceptance of new customers and changes in available credit are decisions made solely by Mr. Rogers, the president. Before approving any sale, Miller checks the current age of the customer's accounts receivable balance. If the store is on the approved list, is under the credit limitation, and has no overdue balances, Miller initials the sales invoice and returns it to the Sales Division. If, for any reason, Miller cannot approve the sale, the invoice is forwarded to Rogers who reviews all pertinent information. He then makes a final decision as to whether to accept or reject the order. Rogers indicates his decision on the invoice and forwards it to the Sales Division. If the order is rejected, the customer is contacted and all copies of the sales invoice are attached and placed in a permanent file by invoice number.For approved orders, the Sales Division matches all five copies of the sales invoice. The approximate shipping date is indicated on the fifth copy and mailed to the customer as a confirmation. The first copy is initialed by C. A. Land in the Sales Division and returned to Wisdon in the Inventory Department as approval for making the shipment. The other three copies of the sales invoice are stamped "Approved" and remain in the Sales Division in a temporary file by invoice numberUpon receiving the approved sales invoice, the Inventory Department packs and ships the merchandise and Wisdon prepares a five-copy bill of lading. One copy is included with the shipment while the second copy is mailed to the customer. The third copy is routed to the Controller's Office. The fourth copy of the bill of lading goes to the Sales Division with the final copy being retained by the Inventory Department. It is stapled to the first copy of the sales invoice and placed in a permanent file by bill of lading number. When the third copy of the bill of lading is received by Ms. Luck in the Controller's Office, the quantity of inventory, its description, the bill of lading number, and the date of shipment are recorded in an inventory sales journal. Having entered the appropriate information, Luck places the bill of lading in a temporary file by sales invoice number that has been manually recorded on the document. Lakeside uses the services of an outside computer center to maintain a perpetual inventory record. At the end of each week, Luck forwards information on all sales and purchases to the center, which then processes the data and returns updated records to the company.When the fourth copy of the bill of lading is received in the Sales Division, Land matches it with the three approved copies of the sales invoice. He compares the quantity and description of the order with the items that were shipped. If they agree, he prices each sale from an updated price list that is maintained by the Sales Division. The sales invoices are then extended, footed, and the due date is added. The fourth copy of the bill of lading is attached to the second copy of the sales! invoice and filed in a temporary file by due date. The third copy of the approved sales invoice is sent to Miller, assistant to the president, while the fourth copy goes to the Controller's Office. Miller uses his copy to update the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger and then files the sales invoice in a permanent file by customer name. The Controller's Office matches the sales invoice to the bill of lading, verifies the pricing against an updated price list, and mathematically checks the extensions and footings. The sales invoice is then recorded in the sales journal as a debit to Accounts Receivable and a credit to Sales. Sales figures are also classified by geographic district so that commissions can be appropriately accrued. Lakeside representatives receive a percentage of every sale made within a specified territory. After the sale is recorded, the bill of lading is placed in a permanent file by customer name. The controller then mails the sales invoice to inform the customer of the amount payable, the due date, and the discount terms. According to the invoice, payment should be made by check (payable to "Lakeside Company"). The customer is also asked to return the bottom portion of the sales invoice, which indicates the customer's name, the sales invoice number, the gross amount payable, the discount terms, and the due date