STANDARDS ON AUDITING (Reporting Aspects)

Audit report plays an instrumental role in the compliance aspects under a  recommendatory application of SAs. Investor has held their sweated earnings in  the companies and they want to make an informed decisions for future actions,  and on the other side management/TCWG also want the opinion on Financial  Statements having opinion of True and Fair View by the Auditor so these two  sides of business environment requires proper reporting after having all  compliance under Standards on Auditing. So let’s read on to know more……….

SA-700: •Forming an Opinion & Reporting on Financial Statement (on or  after 1st April, 2017)

SA-701 - •Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditor's  Report (on or after 1st April, 2017)

SA-705 -  •Modification to the Opinion in the Independent Auditor's Report (on or after 1st April, 2017)

SA-706 - •Emphasis of Matter Paragraph and Ohter Matter Paragrphs in  the Independent Auditor's Report (on or after 1st April, 2017)

Differe  ntial  Basis

SA-700

SA-701

SA-705

SA-706

Objective

To form an  opinion on  Fin. St.  based on an

evaluation 

of the  conclusions  drawn from  the audit  evidence  obtained.

To express  clearly that  opinion  through a ritten  report

To  determine  key audit  matters

and having 

informed  an opinion  on the  financial  statement  s,  communic  ate those  matters by  describing  them in  the

auditor’s  report.

To express clearly an  appropriately  modified opinion on  the financial

statements that is 

necessary when:

(a)The auditor  concludes,  based on the  audit evidence  obtained that  the Fin. St. as a  whole are free  from Mat.

Misst or

(b)The auditor is  unable to  obtain SAAE to  conclude that  the Fin. St. as a  whole are free  from Mat.  Misst.

To draw user’s attention,  when in the auditor’s  judgment it is necessary to  do so, by way of clear

additional communication 

in the auditor’s report to:

(a)A matter, although  appropriately  presented or  disclosed in the Fin.  St., that is of such  importance that it  is fundamental to  users’  understanding of  the Fin. St., or
(b)As appropriate, any  other matter that is

relevant to user’s

understanding of  the audit , the  auditor’s

responsibilities or

the auditor’s report

 

MEANING OF GENERAL PURPOSE FRAMEWORK

 

Designed to meet common Fin. Info. Needs of users

  • Fair  Presentation  Framework
  • Compliance

 

FORMING AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

SA-700 requires that auditor shall form an opinion on whether the financial statements are  prepared in all material respects in accordance with the applicable FRF.

To form this opinion, auditor needs to conclude as to whether he has obtained  REASONABLE ASSURANCE that the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatements whether due to fraud or error. The conclusion shall take into account  following:

(a) Auditor’s  conclusion

In accordance with SA-330, whether SAAE obtained.

(b) Auditor’s  conclusion

In accordance with SA-450, whether uncorrected misstatements are  material, individually or in aggregate.

(c) Evaluation  about

1.First, preparation of financial statement in all material  respects Second, consideration of qualitative aspects of the entity’s  accounting practices including Indicators of possible bias in management’s judgements.
 
2.Whether the requirements of the applicable FRF have been  fulfilled such as disclosure of accounting policies, selection &  application of accounting policies consistently, accounting  estimate by management (reasonable), info presented in  financial statement (relevant, reliable, comparable &  understandable) and terminology used in Fin. St. .
 
3.When the financial statements are prepared in accordance  with a fair presentation framework, auditor is required to  evaluate whether the financial statement achieve fair presentation by considering the following-
  • Overall presentation, structure and content of the  financial statement and
  • Whether the financial statement including related

notes represent the underlying transactions and  events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

4.Whether financial statement adequately refer to or describes  the applicable FRF.


FORM OF OPINION

The auditor shall express an UNMODIED OPINION when the auditor concludes that the  financial statements are prepared in all material respects in accordance with applicable  FRF.

The auditor shall modify the opinion in the auditor’s report in accordance with SA-705, if  the auditor:

Concludes that based on the audit evidence obtained, the financial statements  as a whole are not free from material misstatement. Or
Is unable to obtain SAAE to conclude that the financial statements as a whole  are free from material misstatement.

 

Nature of matter  Giving Rise to the  Modification

Auditor’s judgement about the pervasiveness of  the effects or possible effects on the Fin. St.

Material but  not  pervasive

Material & Pervasive

Financial Statements materially  misstated

QUALIFIED OPINION

ADVERSE OPINION

Inability to  obtain  SAAE

QUALIFIED OPINION

DISCLAMER OF OPINION

 AUDITOR’S REPORT

“it shall be in writing in hard copy using electronic medium”

Audit Report by Auditor-Types

  • Audit  conducted in  accordance  with SAs
  • Prescribed by   Law/Regulation
  • Audits  conducted as  per SAs & ISAs

 AUDITOR’S REPORT FOR AUDIT CONDUCTED IN  ACCORDANCE WITH  STANDARDS ON AUDITING

1

Title: “Independent Auditor’s report”

2

Addressee: “to the shareholder of the company”

3

Auditor’s Opinion: “opinion”

4

Basis for Opinion Heading: “Basis for Opinion”

5

Going Concern

6

Key Audit Matters

7

Management Responsibility for the Financial Statements Heading:

“Responsibilities of Management for Financial Statement”

8

Auditor Responsibility Para Heading: “Auditor’s Responsibility”

9

Other Reporting Responsibilities Sub-Heading: “Report on Other Legal &  Regulatory Requirements”

10

Signature of the auditor

11

Place of signature

12

Date of Auditor’s Report

REPORTING OF KEY AUDIT MATTERS UNDER SA-701

  • Communicating matters to TCWG
  • Determine Key Audit  Matters out of such  communicated to  TCWG
  • Communicate/report  Key Audit Matters in  Auditor's report

 Matters: Those matters that in the auditor’s professional judgement were of  most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period. Key audit  matters are selected from the matters already communicated with TCWG.”

  • SA-701 applies to audits of complete sets of General Purpose Financial Statements  of LISTED ENTITIES and circumstances when the auditor otherwise decides to  communicate Key Audit Matters in the auditor’s report.
  • This also applies when the auditor is required by law or regulation to communicate  key audit matters in the auditor’s report.
  • However, SA-705(R) prohibits the auditor from communicating key audit matters

when the auditor disclaims an opinion on the financial statements unless such  reporting is required by law or regulation.

EMPHASIS OF MATTER PARAGRAPH & OTHER MATTER PARAGRAPH

Emphasis of Matter Paragraphs and other matter parafgraphs are originated from SA-706  which deals with ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION in the auditor’s report to-

1.EMPHASIS OF MATTER PARAGRAPH - Draw user’s attention to a matter or matters  presented or disclosed in the financial statements that are of such importance that  they are fundamental to users’ understanding of the financial statements; or
2.OTHER MATTER PARAGRAPH - Draw user’s attention to a matter or matters  presented or disclosed in the financial statements that are relevant to users’ understanding of the audit, auditor’s responsibilities or the auditor’s report.
 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Being as a CA student, I can conclude the topic in following points-

  • Now the statutes provisions are very stringent about audit reporting under which  regulators have monitoring role to get those implemented under Standards on  Auditing which are followed by External Auditor of the entity.
  • Fraud Reporting, IFC Audit reporting, CARO are also part of audit report.
  • Communicating key audit matter is a latest significant improvement in reporting the  significant matter which have made applicable w.e.f. 1st April, 2017.
  • Last but not the least, ICAI plays a pivotal role in application and formulation of  Standards on Auditing at grass-root level.

Share this post