Question
The audit client uses a perpetual inventory system. The accounting department is separate from other operating departments. Only the accounting staff has access to the
The audit client uses a perpetual inventory system. The accounting department is separate from
other operating departments. Only the accounting staff has access to the accounting system. The
CEO does not have direct access to the accounting records. The CEO needs to consult with the
chief accountant about any proposed changes to the accounting records. If the chief accountant
agrees that an adjustment is appropriate, the chief accountant would then make the change in the
computer system. In addition, access to different systems is restricted to authorised staff via
individual passwords so that only sales staff has access to the sales computer system, and only
accounting staff has access to the accounting system, etc. Authorisation of transactions is also
performed via individual passwords.
The accounting staff checks all related documents before recording journal entries in the
computer system, e.g., customer orders, duplicate sales invoices and delivery documents. The
accounting computer system is integrated with the inventory information system so that when a
sale is made, the inventory computer system automatically calculates cost of goods sold (COGS)
after sales staff inputs the inventory product code and the quantity of products sold. When
accounting staff records the sale and inputs the sales invoice number into the accounting system,
a COGS journal entry is automatically prepared based on the amount of COGS calculated in the
inventory system. However, accounting staff can reject the proposed COGS journal entry or
change the COGS amount if two employees in the accounting department provide authorisation
via passwords.
Monthly inventory reports are prepared by the inventory management computer system. These
reports list different types of inventories by the date the last sale was made for a particular type
of inventory. That is, these "last sales" reports help show inventory categories that have not had
a sale for some time. The total value of each inventory category is also shown in the report. A
copy of the report is distributed to the sales manager, purchase manager, chief accountant and the
CEO. These reports are often used for reference when senior accounting staff hold meetings to
discuss major accounting issues such as inventory write-downs.
The audit client's draft financial statements for 2018 do not include an inventory write-down
expense or an allowance for inventory obsolescence account. Inquiries of the accounting staff
reveal that the chief accountant said there is no need to recognise unrealised inventory losses
because the amount of the loss is uncertain so the information would be misleading to financial
report users. The chief accountant told the staff that inventory write-down expense will be
recorded only when inventory items are actually sold.
Question:Assess control risk for each of the general audit objectives of the accounts given above. In
your answer, identify existing internal controls that are relevant to the specified general
audit objectives and briefly explain how each internal control can prevent/detect
misstatements for the specified general audit objectives for COGS and inventory.
Please write the answer detailed thank you very much.
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