Auditing is the process of validating the
activities carried out by an entity or a part of it, and it may even be
specific to only one activity. Her main objective is to validate what was done
with what was planned. Among the various types used by companies, one of the
most common is the accounting audit service, whose main objectives are to prove
the facts that change the assets of companies, the presentation of errors or
fraud and, consequently, the suggestion of measures that can be taken to
prevent them, as well as verification of the accuracy of the company's internal
controls.
It also checks for the existence of these internal
controls and if they are applied correctly. Thus, accounting auditing can be understood
as a technique that checks accounting records so that, with this, it can attest
to their correct reliability, which means that they must reflect the equity
presented.
What is the
final result of an external audit?
The final product of the external audit is the
issuance of a report, previously known as an opinion, on the adequacy of the
financial statements in relation to the Accounting Principles and United Arab
Emirates Accounting Standards.
For this, it is necessary that the external or independent
auditor has independence as its main characteristic. Furthermore, he cannot
have any relationship with the audited company. This report will present the
auditor's technical and substantiated opinion regarding the correct observance
of current legislation and that this was correctly used in the preparation of
the audited financial statements.
Where does
internal auditing come in?
Auditors in UAE is defined as a set of procedures whose main
objective is to examine the integrity of procedures, as well as to verify the
adequacy of the internal, physical, accounting, financial or operational
controls of a given company.
The internal auditor's work is defined by the
company's management, that is, the points that will be worked on are discussed
or even passed on by the board so that the internal auditor can work. In
addition, the nature of the work of the internal audit is more linked to the
internal routine of the company's work, as this professional will observe compliance
with internal rules.
What is the
difference between internal control and internal audit?
The internal audit can be understood as a review
work, in an organized way and that will be developed by a specific department.
Internal control, in turn, can be understood as a set of procedures and
controls adopted by a certain company.
These controls and procedures range from the
preparation and observation of an organization's plan, through methods and
measures observed to compare and understand the company's results, as well as
asset protection systems, such as observing certain standards for accounting
for assets, the correct adequacy of the company's chart of accounts,
administrative policies such as rules and functions for each employee and
others specific to each type of business.
How to
optimize your audit process?
It is necessary to understand that the internal and
external audit must work together, that is, it is necessary to continuously
verify internal processes, a function performed by the internal audit, which
will facilitate the work of verifying the adequacy of the financial statements
by the external auditor. Thus, the internal audit must observe some points.
Let's go to them.
All company procedures need to be determined and
known – this is necessary for all employees to know and adequately perform the
company's internal procedures and so that, as a consequence, the internal
auditor can verify possible failures.
Checklist –
that is, a checklist, which can be done by department, of the procedures that
are required and that are actually being carried out, helping to minimize
failures.
Independence
– even if the internal auditor is linked to the company's management,
he/she needs to point out what is not in accordance with internal controls, that
is, he/she needs to be impartial and point out the path to be followed.
Of course, all procedures and, later, the internal
auditor's findings should always be presented and discussed so that the company
can know if it is on the right path or what it should do to correct its course.
Is it worth
investing in the audit?
Both the Internal Audit and control system reviews in UAE, by issuing
the audit report that certifies the reliability of the records, and the
internal audit, which uses internal controls to suggest paths that can be
traced, are extremely useful and necessary procedures that guarantee the
veracity and use of internal rules and procedures and, consequently, the
adherence and adequacy to the current legislation. Use Aaa-cas services to
improve your controls and get better results.