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- November 4, 2013 at 9:51 am #144501
I need help on this critical area of F8.
I understand the difference between a test of control and a substantive test, I know their definition and I know how they are considered as the two audit approaches etc…but I get confused when I am trying to design a test of control/substantive procedure.
For example, I know authorisation is considered a control – But, If I say “sample a number of invoices and inspect them for authorization” wouldn’t that be considered as a substantive test? Or would it be a test of control?
Can anyone please make a distinction for me between test of controls and substantive tests? In what way they differ? Please, I understand that test of controls test the system and that substantive tests test the numbers, I am looking for an answer containing examples of both so I can see their difference in a form of examples?I hope my question is clear.
ThanksMaha
November 4, 2013 at 10:41 am #144506hi Maha – please name your topics related to problems.. 🙂 you are here long enough to know better 🙂
I have renamed your topicNovember 4, 2013 at 10:43 am #144507HAHAHHAHAH I am sorry! and thanks for renaming it!
Maha
November 26, 2013 at 8:35 pm #147975hi 🙂
If you say “sample a number of invoices and inspect them for authorization”
its a test of control because you are checking if they are authorized.
a substantive test would be select a sample of invoices and agree them to purchase order to ensure the quantity may be..
so this type of changing in words will make it a substantive test if it is designed to check numbers in FS..i hope it will help. 🙂
November 27, 2013 at 11:16 pm #148140Test of Control :
An audit procedure designed to evaluate the operating effectiveness of controls in preventing, or detecting and correcting, material misstatements at the assertion level.
In simple words, these test the system to ensure it is operating as should be. These tests do not care about monetary value.Example: Purchase System:
Consider the audit reviews of a company’s purchases system and internal controls, (To confirm that recorded purchases represents goods & services received)
Control: An appropriate control would be that purchase orders are raised for each purchase and are authorised by appropriate senior personnel.
Test of Control: Examine a sample of purchase orders to ensure that they have been appropriately authorised, and a ‘yes’ answer is good, confirming that the internal control requiring authorisation of purchase orders is working, or alternatively a ‘no’ answer indicated that the internal control does not appear to be working. Hence requiring further audit investigation.
Substantive Testing: An audit procedure designed to detect material misstatements at the assertion level. Substantive procedures comprise tests of details & substantive analytical procedures.
In other words, These tests verify the numbers in the financial statement to aid an opinion on the true & fair view. So these tests are obsessed about monetary value.Example: Purchase System
Consider the purchase system of a manufacturing company, to confirm the existence of account balances in the Statement of Financial Position, auditor can do some physical verification of year-end balances outstanding by obtaining & reviewing the closing purchase ledger account balances for a sample of purchase ledger accounts with selected supplier.
It might include agreeing the closing balance figure to the supplier’s statement, or even possibly requesting third party confirmation by the supplier of the amount outstanding.November 30, 2013 at 2:13 pm #148600See here:
https://opentuition.com/acca/f8/audit-tests-difference-tests-control-substantive-tests/
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