The current report under consideration is used to elucidate in detail risks of audit that are faced by the audit clients of particular Miller Yates Howarth (also simply referred to as MYH) that is in essence Trunkey Creek Wines Limited (TCW). In essence, this kind of risks are necessarily attributable to different fraud actions otherwise activities that are undertaken by the assessors. However, there are specific areas that auditors take into consideration for analysis namely, investments made, receivables of the firm, property assets as well as marketing expenditure. It is crucial for assessors to plan engagement of audit by means of extraction of requisite information by assessing perpetual notes in the permanent file and following a specific module and mechanism of internal control for the business enterprise. Analysis of risks of audit associated to particular accounts are carried out by enumeration of pertinent financial ratios and based on the outcomes the risks are detected and steps are outlined for lessening the detected risks. The following part of the report elucidates in detail about evaluation of systems of internal control mechanisms and detects diverse measures of alleviation of identified risks. Moreover, weaknesses of the firm’s mechanism of internal control linked to accounts payable and accounts for purchase are identified and analysed in the present report.
1A. The study at hand intends to provide explanation for risks of audit related to different accounts of the firm TCW by means of evaluating important financial ratios namely gearing ratio, profitability ratio, efficiency ratio, solvency ratio as well as liquidity ratio. In this regard, it can be hereby mentioned that pecuniary statements can be assessed effectually by means of enumeration of the pertinent ratios that aids the evaluator in comprehension of financial health and financial condition of the enterprise (Kellenberg & Levinson, 2016). According to the given case study, analysis of diverse accounts of TCW is assessed by means of key ratios. In essence, the planning of audit for the present case reflects the fact the auditor would encounter material misstatements whilst assessment of the accounts of the firm. It is for this reason, the auditors are delegated with the responsibility of recognition of diverse risks and consequently suggesting different steps of elimination of identified risks. In essence, the key components of risks of audit are intrinsic difficulty in the process of detection of these kinds of risks due to characteristics of scam an fraud. Nevertheless, the process of execution of effectual internal control might assist in the process of decreasing audit risk ensuing from incidences of fraud (Knechel & Salterio, 2016). Therefore, it is necessary for auditors to carry out planning and implementation of audit with due immense care and by using skills and maintaining professional scepticism at the time of planning and undertaking the processes of audit.
The table below mentions different accounts analysed, analysis of the accounts, specific risks of audit attached to the said accounts and the steps that need to be undertaken for reduction of risks of audit.
Accounts receivable refers to the money that an enterprise has the right to get as it had delivered the clients with the ordered goods/services. As per the case study, it can be said that accounts receivables (for production of wine) calculated is recorded to be at 6.65, while the accounts receivables figure of the firm for beef production segment is registered to be 36. On the whole, the requisite number of days of outstanding invoices of customers is reflected by the said numbers (Kokina & Davenport, 2017). Analysis of the figures of accounts receivables ratio reveals that the value for the same has declined for wine, indicating increase in efficiency of the firm. On the other hand, this ratio is said to have increased for the segment of beef, indicating an unfavorable financial situation (signifying that the firm requires higher number of days for collecting the outstanding amount that they need to receive for the purchases made by their clients). |
Analysis of the case study reveals the fact that TCW undertakes marketing of their own products on credit terms. Therefore, the credit system attaches substantial risks on disbursements carried out by the clients. In essence, it can be hereby mentioned that there subsists certain amount of risk linked to completeness of the firm (Krahel & Titera, 2015). Fundamentally, this also reflects risks of firms associated to essentially validity. As such, risks associated to particularly completeness indicates that accounts of the business enterprise may perhaps not register and carry out documentation and appropriate recording of firm’s accounts correctly. |
Based on results of the case study it can be said that accounts receivables (in terms of days) are increasing for the section of beef production of the corporation. Therefore, the receivables of the firm need to be properly reviewed on a regular basis and need to be discussed with TCW’s management. Also, any kind of allowance particularly for doubtful debt provisions needs to be undertaken without any kind of validation by upper echelons of management (Lisic et al., 2015). Furthermore, the systems of sanctioning of credit to clients also need to be assessed in a proper manner on a regular basis. |
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On the whole, the efficacies of investment of the business enterprises can be analysed by proper enumeration of total times of interest that is acquired by any specific investment (Louwers et al., 2015). . As per the results presented in the given case study, it can be said that time interest acquired for the firm TCW has decreased from the level 8.1 during the period 2016 to roughly 7.5 during the period 2017. |
Fundamentally, it is necessary for sponsors to make payments for investment actions in a planned way in case if the risk levels related to the actions of investment is high (Mala & Chand, 2015). Essentially, the working capital of the firm shall be influenced by the overall risk related to investments carried out. |
In particular, it is necessary for assessors to analyze investments undertaken by the firm TCW. It is important for auditors to understand whether the firm is undertaking any kind of unusual investment action that may perhaps have lessened overall interest earned by the company (Simkin et al., 2018). In essence, investments have the need to be assessed by the administration as a specific part of firm’s operations. |
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The situation in the arena of investment can be analysed by the enumeration of specific ratios that detected total number of times that corporations earn out of the investment actions undertaken by them (Trotman et al., 2015). Based on the results provided in the case study, it can be hereby stated that there is enhancement in return generated particularly on equity for different audited pecuniary assertions. Furthermore, return earned by TCW out of segment of beef production is said to have augmented. In addition to this, return earned out of the segment of wine as well as grapes production is said to have enhanced during the period 2017. |
It can be hereby mentioned that there are risks associated to documentation of property assets of the business concern TCW and difficulties related to asset valuation. In essence, the risks of audit related to property assets also can be associated to specific mechanisms that are utilized for depreciation calculation of the assets (Weirich et al., 2017). Owing to improper process of depreciation charging the amount of depreciation recorded in the financial statements of the firm might be wrong. Particularly, there can be incorrect process of valuation of assets and any incorrect process of registration (Aziz et al., 015). Moreover, there may possibly be wrong calculation of firm’s gains/losses on revaluation of assets. Analysis and asset exploration might perhaps be overstated that again might show the way to wrong representation of data |
It is vital on the part of the auditors to undertake analysis of effectiveness and control mechanisms. In this connection, it can be said that depreciation need to be assessed for economic actions along with their consistency (Abbott et al., 2016). Essentially, there is necessity for regular assessment of accounts ledgers along with journals for particularly firm TCW’s property assets. As such, the clientele of the firm need to be enquired regarding any kind of assets that may have been removed. However, for the purpose of ascertainment of subsistence of firm’s property assets, evaluator needs to assess documents of acquirements. |
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The marketing expenditure of the business concern can be expressed as a specific percentage of the entire amount of expends enhanced from the level of 15.2 during the period 2016 to approximately 17.9 during the period 2017. Essentially, this enhancement in the overall percentage indicates towards the fact that marketing expends of the firm TCW has risen in the current year as compared to the year ago period. The actions of marketing are essentially dispersed throughout the business concern (Bell et al., 2015). |
It can be hereby mentioned that there might perhaps not be sufficient disclosures associated to linked transactions of parties. The data associated to this kind of activities might also be improperly presented for developing situations that can alter stakeholder’s insight. |
It is crucial for assessors to undertake thorough analysis of different marketing actions and substantiate their registration in the firm’s files. In essence, there need to critical analysis of different expenditures linked to marketing actions (Boyle et al., 2015). |
1B: As suggested by Byrnes et al. (2018), risks of business indicate towards those risks that are linked to the fact that there can be negative changeability on the expected loss/gain. Particularly, there are diverse facets that exert influence on risks of business of the corporation. Based on analysis of the current case, it can be hereby mentioned that earnings of TCW were stable to certain extent for quite some years. Further, audit risks that have been evaluated shows that there might be several external factors that may threaten overall capability of the firm to accomplish the firm’s objectives (Carson et al., 2016).
Return earned by the firm on both wine as well as grape production: The return earned from production of two different segments namely beef as well wine is said to have decreased on a consistent basis. In essence, it can be hereby observed that the return earned on these items has declined to the level of 14.5 during the period 2016 in comparison to the figure 16 registered in 2015. This decrease in value reflects that assets have not been appropriately put to use effectively for the purpose of production. Moreover, this decrease can also be due to different external facets (Chen et al., 2014).
Based on the calculations presented in the table it can be hereby stated that there is stable enhancement in overall number of days associated to accounts receivables particularly for segment of production of beef. In addition to this, accounts receivables presented in terms of days has augmented from the level 24 recorded in financial year 2016 to around 36 registered in the financial year 2017. Further, the same is approximated to rise to the level of 57 in the financial year 2018. In essence, this signifies the fact that the time taken by the firm TCW to collect the amount owed from clientele has augmented substantially (Cohen et al., 2017).
The enumerated figure on debt to equity ratio is observed to be increasing. This indicates towards the fact that overall fraction of debt possessed by the firm TCW in association to firm’s assets has decreased (Farooq & de Villiers, 2017). Essentially, debt –to-equity ratio has lessened to approximately 0.63 in financial year 2017 in comparison to the year ago period. In essence, this decrease signifies the fact that financial leverage of the firm TCW has declined and thus the related risk of business has lessened.
It can be hereby witnessed that gross margin of the firm TCW has decreased to approximately 30 during 2017 in comparison to the figure of 31.7 recorded during the year ago period. Essentially, this kind of reduction in overall gross margin reflects that the corporation has the potency to retain higher amount out of sales generated (Knechel & Salterio, 2016).
The interest coverage ratio reflects overall time that is taken by the business concern to pay off for firm’s assets. Based on the figures presented in the case study, it can be hereby witnessed that interest coverage is lower than 1 that replicates that operating actions of corporations do not create adequate cash to pay for different supplementary business operations (Kokina & Davenport, 2017). In essence, this decline in income reflects that earnings of the firm in cash is low and has declined all through the mentioned period.
2A. The current segment reflects the fact that effectual system of internal control of the firm TCW is recognized with test of specific control for different systems of control. Louwers et al. (2015) suggests that there are diverse elements of internal system of control that necessarily get influenced by the administration of the enterprise. The table presented below explains in detail about the system of internal control and diverse tests of control along with risks that are eliminated.
Effective control |
Risk alleviated |
Test of control |
Computerized system of ordering |
This can assist in the process of generation of adequate and at the same time complete records of accounting without missing any data. In essence, there is said to be effectual utilization of password for acquiring accessibility to any particular program (Mala & Chand, 2015). |
Assessors have the need to observe the process of preparation as well as presentation of deposits as well as mails by workforces (Simkin et al. 2018). In essence, a specific sample of confrontation needs to be chosen for the purpose of monitoring the process of documentation of receipts as well as deposits that are put to the bank. |
Electronic invoice generated from suppliers |
Accepting electronic invoice from firm’s suppliers can help in the process of averting risks associated to errors (intentional or unintentional), delayed disbursements and conformity that are common with manual generation of invoice (Trotman et al. 2015). |
Sales invoices should be chosen by assessors and the enumeration of these invoices needs to be performed for assessing the accurate recording. |
Online endorsement of payment file by accountants and uploading documents to bank |
This system can aid in reassuring accuracy and completeness of accounting report and entry validation associated to this kind of records. Firms’ management can help in ensuring that control methods and schemes is effective due to the employment of online platforms for making disbursement. In essence, this can aid in lessening the fraud as well as theft actions on part of employees (Abbott et al., 2016). |
There need to be control applications associated to standing data and business transactions pertaining to computerized or else online system of disbursement (Boyle et al., 2015). The applications of control need to be recorded, registered, ascertained and analyzed by different evaluators so that it can aid in the procedure of determination of risks of material misstatements linked to financial statements (Aziz et al., 2015). |
Generation of service order and undertaking automatic transfer to different providers of service |
The creation of service order by the system of computer can facilitate timely arrival of requisite receipts of different orders and transferring the same routinely to different providers of service. This can help in averting delays in delivering orders. (Chen et al., 2014). |
For assessors to make certain that data input is correct, there is need for digit substantiation by utilizing a procedure of algorithm. In addition to this, the reference codes of specific service order that is created internally need to be formatted in a suitable manner. In essence, upgrading of data files have the need to be carried out in a well timed manner (Chen et al., 2014). |
Limiting disbursements unless inconsistencies are resolved |
If the disbursement can be carried out by the firm TCW without examining for any kind of discrepancies, then this can show the way to improbable cash generation that again might perhaps lessen total amount of earnings in cash. Solving inconsistency without making the disbursement can aid in making certain that there is no strange stream of cash and thereby can help in upholding strong and positive association between manager production of firms’ wine and suppliers (Cohen et al., 2017). |
It needs to be evaluated by the auditors that there are not any unnecessary payments made on payments made to the suppliers. |
Master file control |
The master file of suppliers of the firm TCW consists of information associated to specific suppliers with each and every supplier possessing a distinctive code. This kind of master file can aid in the process of ensuring standing data reliability enclosed in the file (Farooq & de Villiers, 2017). |
There is necessity for severe security controls to be undertaken by the business concern. Furthermore, evaluators might consider implementation of control mechanisms for enumeration of totals and register counts. Appropriate processes need to be instituted over the data modification that can consist of limiting power to apposite individual and separation of duties properly ((Farooq & de Villiers, 2017). |
2B: The last section discusses about the weakness in the internal control systems associated with the accounts payable and purchase account.
In association to purchase account of the firm TCW, it can be said that there can be overstocking in case if the purchase made is not reviewed separately with firm’s stocks against the application of purchase. In this case, there can be false presentation of purchase order if there exists no appropriate accounting system of the series of orders together with the termination orders in incident of no actual incidence of purchase (Carson et al., 2016). |
In actual fact, in the nonexistence of accountant, there exists no second individual who can explain for any discrepancy between delivery and order (Cohen et al., 2017). There is possibility that the accountant might forget to compare between inspection report and receiving records which does not provide guarantee of recording the related items. |
There can also be mistakes in accepting invoices namely errors integrating the incorrect stating of price along with posting in ledgers (Farooq & de Villiers, 2017). |
There can be incidence of error in trail balance arrangement and preparation and inaccuracy on suppliers in placing the price along with volume of sales. |
Accounts payable:
Weakness |
Justification |
errors present in the control account |
Management accounts might not be engaged in standard comparison of control as well as accounts of credit ledger that can lead to incidence of error (Kokina & Davenport, 2017). Furthermore, there is no assurance that different items associated to accounts payable are accepted, registered. |
Material weakness in firm accounts |
There are numerous weaknesses in TCW’s account payable and this can be considered to be material. Essentially, this is related to internal control system (Lisic et al., 2015). |
Conclusion:
The above mentioned study presents the facts as well as figures associated to numerous accounts of the firm TCW. Based on the provided facts as well as figures, it can be hereby concluded that there are different risks of audit associated that calls for introduction of diverse steps of auditing that are necessary to lessen these risks. In particular, the financial situation of the firm TCW have worsened when analysed from the perspective of return generated on firm’s segment of grape along with wine production. It is also true from the perspective of net as well as gross profit margin created. Furthermore, the fitting audit dimensions for decreasing the audit risks are also illustrated in detail. Also, there are different businesses risks related to business operations of the firm TCW. In essence, this is more marked internally in comparison to external facets. Analysis of efficiency of system of internal control of business concern illustrates that the executed system is developed in a particular way that it aids in decreasing incidences of fraud and committing of error on part of workers.
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