Monday, August 28, 2017

How To Conduct An Effective Audit Prep

By Ann Phillips


Quality audit is one of the key management tools for achieving the objectives set out in order to verify that all the units working in a system are contributing wholesomely to the overall objective of the organization. It also provides an opportunity to identify any loopholes and bottlenecks therefore a crucial consideration in management of a business unit.The assessors may not be considerate about any good intentions you may have to address the problem later therefore making audit prep a very crucial process for any client.

Make sure that you are in a position to clearly and credibly explain on how your tax accountant came up with the figures in the return when you go into the audit.Effective and efficient fraud prevention is the main objective of every assessor participating in the assessment. You therefore have to ensure that your system is free of gray areas that may raise such concerns with the auditor.

On top of the documentation, the office manager, accountant and bookkeeper should all be on hand. These individuals may be needed to answer or help find certain information. One thing you need to make sure of is that you have time scheduled for the visit.

Keep in mind that any open issues pose a risk to your company during an audit. You also need to be aware of what exactly the auditor needs in terms of the financial information. In fact you can ask the auditor this days before the process begins.Be ready to explain how you came up with the figures. You need to have the above-mentioned documentation ready and easily accessible.

You should not be trying to multitask while the auditor is there. Preparation of a checklist or a guide of the things to prepare and check should be readily available and should be complete. Any assessment of a financial system is a very hand on process.Audits can actually be beneficial to the client in very many ways.

Cash flows and cash transactions of the lending company will be carefully scrutinized. Accounting errors and discrepancy will also be most likely be monitored. The total assets and financial status of the lending institution will also be examined. Every reliable data will be gathered and checked. Knowing what questions will be asked in advance allows you to prepare your answers ahead of time, giving you an immediate advantage.

Having this list of information will allow you to gather the things the auditor asks for first. By being able to break down what documents are important, you will be able to maximize the time you spend preparing. When the team leader is satisfied with the evidence presented he/she in turn may discuss any non-compliance with the representative of the client to seek agreement that they exist.

But remember, many assessments result in no change if the detailed information on the return is accurate. An auditor or an attorney will go through every guidelines, rules, regulations, documents and agreements the lending institution have transacted through a specific period, sometimes even through the whole existence of the lending company. Being single-minded will help speed the process along.




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