Unit 4 by Ravi Recent Trends
Unit 4 by Ravi Recent Trends
Unit 4 by Ravi Recent Trends
Chapter
1 Cost Audit
1.1 Introduction
Rapid economic and industrial growth and increased competition has led
businesses focus on expansion and diversification of their operations
which has made business structures and procedures very complex. As a
result a need of various types of Audit have emerged to ascertain the
correctness of business operations and improving deficiencies, so that an
organization is able to sustain in this competitive environment.
1.2 Recent Trends in Auditing
With the variety of business operations, various types of Audits are
emerged. Classification of various audits is possible from four different
view-points as under.
Organisation
Objective Timing Scope
al Structure
• Voluntary Audit • Independent • Continuous • Complete Audit
• Sole Financial Audit Audit • Partial Audit
Proprietorship • Internal Audit • Annual Audit • Detailed audit
• Partnership • Cost Audit • Interim Audit
Firm • Management • Balance Sheet
• LLP/ NGOs Audit Audit
• Statutory Audit • Tax Audit
• Government • Secretarial
Audit Audit
• Forensic Audit
• Information
Security Audit
• Social Audit
• Environment
Audit
• Performance
Audit
• Propriety Audit
• Operational
Audit
4 Recent Trends in Auditing
In this section we will discuss various four audits from the above
classification. They are Cost Audit, Tax Audit, Management Audit and
EDP Audit. In this chapter Cost Audit is discussed. Other three Audits
are discussed in subsequent chapters.
1.4 Objectives
Basic objective of Cost Audit is to verify the cost of manufacture or
production of any article, on the basis of accounts as regards utilisation
of material or labour or other items of costs, maintained by the company.
Accordingly, the detailed objectives are explained as under:
1. Accuracy of Cost Records: The Cost Audit checks the arithmetic
accuracy of entries made in the books of Cost Ledger.
2. Cost Accounting Standards: Cost Audit verifies whether the
company has followed the Cost Accounting Standards (CASs) issued
by Cost Accounting Standards Board (CASB).
3. Detection of Fraud: Cost Audit aims to detect any fraud or error
prevailing in Cost Accounts.
5 Recent Trends in Auditing
4. Cost of goods/Services: An aim of cost audit is also to verify that
whether cost of goods or services is determined scientifically or not.
5. Overheads: Overheads are not direct cost to company. It is essential
to verify whether such overheads are absorbed to the cost fully by the
end of the accounting period. Cost Audit verifies it and also calculates
over absorption and under absorption of such overheads.
6. Efficiency: Cost Audit verifies the correctness of cost records of company
and thus helps in verifying the efficiency of various departments.
7. Reconciliation: Cost Audit also aims to reconcile the figures between
Cost accounts and Financial accounts.
8. Exercise control: Cost Audit also helps in exercising control over the
expenditure in manufacturing and marketing of the products or
services.
Companies having
Companies Companies engaged
more than 75% of
operating from a in generation of
revenue from
special economic electricity for
exports in foreign
zone captive consumption
exchange
I. I/We have/have not obtained all the information and explanations, which
to the best of my/our knowledge and belief were necessary for the
purpose of this audit.
II. In my/our opinion, proper cost records, as per Rule 5 of the Companies
(Cost Records and Audit) Amendment Rules, 2014 have/have not been
maintained by the company in respect of product(s)/service(s) under
reference.
III. In my/our opinion, proper returns adequate for the purpose of the Cost
Audit have/have not been received from the branches not visited by
me/us.
IV. In my/our opinion and to the best of my/our information, the said books
and records give/do not give the information required by the Companies
Act, 2013, in the manner so required.
V. In my/our opinion, the company has/does not have adequate system of
internal audit of cost records which to my/our opinion is commensurate to
its nature and size of its business.
VI. In my/our opinion, information, statements in the annexure to this cost
audit report gives/does not give a true and fair view of the cost of
production of product(s)/rendering of service(s), cost of sales, margin and
other information relating to product(s)/service(s) under reference.
VII. Detailed unit-wise and product/service-wise cost statements and
schedules thereto in respect of the product/service under reference of the
company duly audited and certified by me/us are/are not kept in the
company.
2. Observations and suggestions, if any, of the Cost Auditor, relevant to the cost
audit.
Dated: this ____ day of _________ 20__
At __________ (mention name of place of signing this report)
Chapter
2 Management Audit
2.1 Introduction
Auditing is generally related with accounting activities or events. These
activities or events are usually in monetary terms. Because of this reason,
we generally take a very narrow view of matters, that auditing is
concerned with only the monetary accounting data.
With this narrow view, we lose a sight of the fact that auditing is not
necessarily expressed in monetary figures only, but is concerned itself
with collection and appraisal of evidence underlying transactions that are
quantifiable. Auditing is rather more extensive than just monetary
figures.
The use and expectations from Auditing body is changing over the years.
Auditing requires a more useful information which may not be found in
solely financial statements. Today, shareholders, investors, banks,
government bodies, creditors and general public are seeking information
that can judge “quality of management”. As a result of it, a new branch
in Auditing has arose which judge the merits and demerits of
organisations.
2.2 Meaning
Management audit is a comprehensive and thorough examination of an
organization or one of its components. The audit is implemented to
identify problems or significant weaknesses in the organization or
corporation, thus providing management with a tool to address and repair
the problem area.
The management audit is now widely accepted in the business field. For
more than 40 years, corporations and non-profit organizations have
utilized the management audit as a comprehensive tool.
16 Recent Trends in Auditing
According to T.G. Rose, “The management audit would concern itself
with the whole field of activities of the concern, from top to bottom,
starting, as always where management control is concerned, from the
top, because we are primarily concerned with whether the general
management is functioning smoothly and satisfactorily. If it is not, it may
be due to the functional management being faulty and, therefore, we pass
on to examine that in its turn, in order to find the missing or faulty link
which is causing the trouble”.
The management audit is defined by its scope and objectives. The scope
is broad and generally includes all functions of the organization,
including objectives and strategy, corporate structure, organizational
planning, the budgeting process, human and financial resources
management, decision making, research and development, marketing,
equipment and operations, and management information systems. This
breadth extends to recent, present, and future operations and covers
external issues as well as internal concerns.
Properiety Audit
Operational
Efficiency Audit
Audit
Management
Audit
Identification of Recommendati
strengths and ons to top
weaknesses management
25 Recent Trends in Auditing
2.8 Conclusion
When conducted with thoroughness, objectivity, and timeliness, the
management audit becomes a powerful tool for corporate and
organizational executives who seek to improve effectiveness and
efficiency.
Chapter
3 Tax Audit
3.1 Introduction
The main objective of the tax audit is to compute the taxable income
according to the law and for maintaining transparency in the financial
statements filed by the assessees with the Income-tax department.
The tax audit u/s. 44AB of the Income-tax Act 1961 is significant
practice area for Chartered Accountants.
Since the introduction of tax audit, we have been given responsibilities to
discharge the duties as tax auditors for the proper compliance of tax law
by the assessees.
Section 44AB
Audit of accounts of certain persons carrying on business or
profession.
Every person,—
(a) carrying on business shall, if his total sales, turnover or gross
receipts, as the case may be, in business exceed or exceeds one crore
rupees in any previous year; or
(b) carrying on profession shall, if his gross receipts in profession exceed
twenty-five lakh rupees in any previous year; or
(c) carrying on the business shall, if the profits and gains from the
business are deemed to be the profits and gains of such person
under section 44AE or section 44BB or section 44BBB, as the case
may be, and he has claimed his income to be lower than the profits or
gains so deemed to be the profits and gains of his business, as the
case may be, in any previous year; or
(d) carrying on the business shall, if the profits and gains from the
business are deemed to be the profits and gains of such person
under section 44AD and he has claimed such income to be lower
than the profits and gains so deemed to be the profits and gains of his
business and his income exceeds the maximum amount which is not
chargeable to income-tax in any previous year,
get his accounts of such previous year audited by an accountant before
the specified date and furnish by that date the report of such audit in the
prescribed form duly signed and verified by such accountant and setting
forth such particulars as may be prescribed:
Provided that this section shall not apply to the person, who declares
profits and gains for the previous year in accordance with the provisions
of sub-section (1) of section 44AD and his total sales, turnover or gross
28 Recent Trends in Auditing
receipts, as the case may be, in business does not exceed two crore
rupees in such previous year:
Provided further that this section shall not apply to the person, who
derives income of the nature referred to in section 44B or section
44BBA, on and from the 1st day of April, 1985 or, as the case may be,
the date on which the relevant section came into force, whichever is later.
Provided also that in a case where such person is required by or under
any other law to get his accounts audited, it shall be sufficient
compliance with the provisions of this section if such person gets the
accounts of such business or profession audited under such law before
the specified date and furnishes by that date the report of the audit as
required under such other law and a further report by an accountant in
the form prescribed under this section.
Explanation:- For the purposes of this section,
(i) "accountant" shall have the same meaning as in the
Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288;
(ii) "specified date", in relation to the accounts of the assessee of the
previous year relevant to an assessment year, means the due date for
furnishing the return of income under sub-section (1) of section 139.
Chapter
4 EDP Audit
4.1 Introduction
Electronic Data Processing in accounting involves computers and other
electronic devices in accounting. In 21st century, the use of computers
has become inevitable in business organization. Almost all businesses
use electronic data processing (EDP) in one or more activity in business.
Computerised softwares are used for the purpose. And as computers and
softwares are involved in accounting, the limitations and threats related
to these systems are also involved in Accounting. EDP Audit is therefore
necessary to evaluate the efficiency of EDP system. EDP Audit is
nowadays known as Information Security (IS) Audit.
Every business process can experience events that can hamper and in
some cases may stop normal operations of business. Even best designed
system can’t control the prevention of natural disaster. In today’s ever-
changing world of information assurance and network security, it can
become extremely difficult to keep up on the latest vulnerabilities,
viruses, patches, trends, technology, hacker behaviors and activity. It’s
easy for the information systems security professional to get caught up in
attending the logical aspects of security such as reviewing log files,
making configuration changes, troubleshooting, and other technical
duties.
4.2 Definition
This is an assessment of a computer system (an information system)
performed by an information systems professional or IS auditor to
provide recommendations and advice to improve system performance
and security. Audit should be done regularly and the result should be
used to refine the system.
36 Recent Trends in Auditing
IS auditors are those people who make it sure that the system does what
it is supposed to do. Although the audit can be carried out by the internal
team of IT professionals, it is advisable that the audit is carried out by
external auditors as they are neither stakeholders nor friendly with the
stakeholders. Above all there is nothing like an unbiased opinion.
Information System auditor is a person who engages in Information
system audits with the following knowledge and abilities:
Basic knowledge of information systems.
Knowledge of system audits.
Ability to perform system audits.
4.3 Objectives of Audit
The following are the objectives of Audit:
To improve the quality of information systems, prevent failure and
minimize the effects of failure, and speed up the process of recover,' in
the event of a failure. This will help Information System to be more
reliable.
To make an information system more secure from natural as well as
manmade disasters, unauthorized access, and other destructive actions.
To improve the cost performance of an information system by
optimum utilization of its resources, which leads to increase in
efficiency.
During the course of audit, the Information Systems Auditor will obtain
sufficient, reliable, relevant and useful evidence to achieve the audit
objectives effectively. The audit findings and conclusions are to be
supported by appropriate analysis and interpretation of this evidence.