S15: Supervision and review

Objective of supervision and review  To ensure that the audit is done efficiently and effectively so that the audit opinion can be expressed with confidence.  While supervision is a day-to-day control to ensure that the audit proceeds satisfactorily and that any problems are immediately attended to, review can take place in stages during the progress of work and after its completion.

Standards of Supervision  According to the field standards in the Auditing Standards of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the work of the audit staff at each level and audit phase should be properly supervised during the audit, and a senior member of the audit staff should review documented work.

Supervision -I  Supervision is essential to ensure the fulfillment of audit objectives and the maintenance of the quality of the audit work.  Proper supervision and control is necessary in all cases, regardless of the competence of individual auditors.

Supervision -II  Supervision involves ensuring that:  the members of the audit team have a clear and consistent understanding of the audit plan;  the audit is carried out in accordance with the auditing standards and practices of the CAG;  the audit plan and action steps specified in that plan are followed unless a variation is authorised with adequate justification;  working papers contain evidence adequately supporting all conclusions, recommendations and opinions;  the auditor achieves the stated audit objectives; and  the audit report includes the audit conclusions, recommendations and opinions, as appropriate.

Supervision-III Supervision ensures that  the audit work is carried out in accordance with the audit plan and in tune with the audit objectives;  important issues are identified in the course of audit;  no significant issue in the context of the audit objectives and evidence required remains unresolved;  evidence collected fulfils the criteria prescribed in the Auditing Standards;  the work performed and the results including the process of audit are separately documented, first in support of audit findings, conclusions and recommendations and the second in support of due diligence exercised by the audit team;  the audit objectives are fully met.

Structure of supervision-I Supervision is exercised by senior members of audit team and SAI management at various levels:  by the group supervisory officer and Accountant General, during planning of the individual financial audits;  by the Audit Officer, during the course of field audit, further supervised by group officer; and  by the Accountant General, during review of periodic reports, monitoring and interim appraisals.

Structure of supervision-II  The supervisor acts as a link with management and is is expected to inform higher management (i.e., Group Officer and Accountant General) of any problems and difficulties and to seek approval for the audit plan to be amended if the need arises.  The team leader should make sure that other members of the team are aware of what is required of them and that their work performed conforms to standard.  If an audit programme cannot be fully executed, the team leader should ensure that any changes to it receive the approval of higher management.

Progress reporting  The audit officer and group supervisory officer will be responsible for reporting the progress of audit to the next level supervisory officer at prescribed intervals.  The progress reports should contain all important information relating to  progress of audit  evidence gathered  analysis of evidence  time spent in audit against the time allotted  dialogue with auditee  problems encountered in the course of audit and modifications, if any, required in the audit plan.  Assurance memo shall be furnished by the audit team on completion of the financial audit and on completion of the audit of each unit, as prescribed.

Review  All audit work should be reviewed by a senior member of the audit staff before the audit opinions or reports are finalised.  It should be carried out as each part of the audit progresses.  Review brings more than one level of experience and judgment to the audit task.

Assurance from a Review Review should ensure that  all evaluations and conclusions are soundly based and are supported by competent, relevant and reasonable audit evidence  all errors, deficiencies and unusual matters have been properly identified, documented and either satisfactorily resolved or brought to the attention of a more senior officers; and  changes and improvements necessary to the conduct of future audits are identified, recorded and taken into account in later audit plans and in staff development activities.

Points to Remember  Review should not be left pending till the completion of the audit and should be conducted as soon as possible after discrete areas of the audit have been finalised and the working papers have been properly assembled.  This ensures more effective control and facilitate prompt necessary changes to audit coverage.  By reviewing the work done, the reviewing officer takes responsibility for its quality and for the audit conclusion reached as to whether or not material error exists in the account.  If the reviewing officer is not satisfied with the work done, it is his responsibility to ensure that any deficiencies in the audit are remedied.

Two stages of review- The First Stage  First stage review should check:  the standing files are complete and up to date;  approved audit programmes have been used;  systems documentation and evaluations are carried out and recorded in the form approved by the CAG of India;  working papers are complete and properly referenced;  the conclusions reached are supported by evidence contained in the working papers;  a letter or report is drafted informing the audited entity of any weaknesses revealed by the audit.  The first stage reviewer should check all calculations crucial to the audit conclusion.

The Second Stage of review  The second stage review should cover all significant matters, particularly areas where judgments have been made.  The second stage reviewer takes responsibility for the final conclusion on the audit including any qualifications proposed.  He is also responsible for approval of any management letter to be issued to the audited entity.

Second stage reviewer-I  Second Stage Review is a selective examination of the working papers carried out to ensure that the audit work has been done satisfactorily.  This means satisfying oneself that the first stage review was properly carried out.  In addition the second stage reviewer should also carry out a sufficient review of the financial statements to provide him, together with the conclusions drawn from other audit evidence obtained, a reasonable basis for the proposed opinion on the financial statements.

Second stage reviewer-II  He should endeavour to ensure that all outstanding matters have been cleared before he submits the records to the Office of the C&AG and should record on the Examination Folder that:  he has completed his review of the papers supporting the examination of the account;  he is satisfied that sufficient, relevant and reliable evidence has been obtained to support the C&AG’s certificate and that the work has been carried out in accordance with the auditing standards of the C&AG; and  either that he is satisfied that an unqualified certificate can be given or that he recommends a qualified certificate.

Quality assurance for supervision and review is ensured by  adherence to the Auditing Standards, Manuals and Guides  defined structure and system of supervision and review  strict conformity to the prescribed supervision and review system  periodic reporting and monitoring during the audit process; and  peer review and technical supervision review.  SAI management may prescribe specific supervision and review procedures for each kind of financial audits undertaken while formulating the detailed operational guidelines for financial audit.