1、1外文文献翻译译文原文TOP10AUDITDEFICIENCIESHOWCANCPASLEARNTOMOREEFFECTIVELYDETECTFINANCIALSTATEMENTFRAUDONEOFTHEBESTWAYSISTO“PROFIT“FROMTHEMISTAKESOFOTHERSTHEINFORMATIONPRESENTEDHEREISBASEDONCASESINWHICHTHESECSANCTIONEDAUDITORSFORTHEIRASSOCIATIONWITHFRAUDULENTFINANCIALSTATEMENTSENFORCEMENTACTIONSAGAINSTAUDITO
2、RSARERARE,BUTTHECONSEQUENCESOFINDIVIDUALCASESCANBEGREATANDTHECASESOFFERTHEPROFESSIONANOPPORTUNITYTOLEARNANDGROWWHILETHELESSONSPRESENTEDHEREWILLBEMOSTVALUABLETOPRACTITIONERSWHOPERFORMAUDITS,CPASEMPLOYEDBYCLIENTCOMPANIESMAYALSOBENEFITFROMUNDERSTANDINGTHEPROCESSSOTHEYCANDEVELOPREALISTICAUDITEXPECTATION
3、SOURANALYSISISBASEDONAREPORTWECOMPLETEDIN2000FORTHEAICPAASBTITLEDFRAUDRELATEDSECENFORCEMENTACTIONSAGAINSTAUDITORS19871997OURRESEARCHINITIALLYINVOLVED56CASESHOWEVER,11OFTHOSE56CASESINVOLVEDABOGUSAUDITORAUDITORWHEREEITHERTHEAUDITNEVERTOOKPLACEORANONCAPPOSEDASANAUDITORANDISSUEDAPHONYOPINIONINTHEREMAINI
4、NG45CASESTHESECALLEGEDDEFICIENCIESINPERFORMINGONEORMORE“ATTEMPTED“AUDITENGAGEMENTSTHESECASESFORMTHEBASISFOROURANALYSISALLOFTHECASESINVOLVEDPUBLICCOMPANIES,MOSTOFWHICHENGAGEDINFRAUDULENTFINANCIALREPORTINGOR“COOKINGTHEBOOKS“ONLYAFEWENGAGEDINMISAPPROPRIATIONOFASSETSORDEFALCATIONSTEALINGWHILETHEAUDITDEF
5、ICIENCIESDESCRIBEDHEREMAYHELPCPASDETECTORPREVENTEITHERTYPEOFFRAUD,WITHPRIVATECOMPANIESWHERESTEALINGISTHEMOREPERVASIVERISKAUDITORSFACEANENTIRELYDIFFERENTSETOFCONSIDERATIONSCOMMONAUDITPROBLEMSTHEEXHIBITONPAGE65HIGHLIGHTSTHETOP10AUDITDEFICIENCIESTHESECCLAIMEDTHEMOSTCOMMONPROBLEMALLEGEDIN80OFTHECASESWAS
6、THEAUDITORSFAILURETOGATHERSUFFICIENTEVIDENCEINSOMEINSTANCES,THISFAILUREWASPERVASIVETHROUGHOUT2THEENGAGEMENTINOTHERINSTANCESTHEALLEGATIONSWEREMORESPECIFICFOREXAMPLE,MANYOFTHECASESINVOLVEDINADEQUATEEVIDENCEINTHEAREASOFASSETVALUATIONTHEAUDITORDIDNOTOBTAINEVIDENCETOSUPPORTKEYASSUMPTIONSASSETOWNERSHIPTHE
7、AUDITORDIDNOTOBTAINEVIDENCETOINDICATETHECOMPANYOWNEDCERTAINASSETSMANAGEMENTREPRESENTATIONSTHEAUDITORDIDNOTCORROBORATEMANAGEMENTRESPONSESTOINQUIRIESTOHELPAVOIDPROBLEMS,CPAFIRMSSHOULDSIGNALTOTHEIRAUDITTEAMSTHATPROVIDINGHIGHQUALITYAUDITSERVICESISATOPPRIORITYSOMECASESINVOLVEDTHEAUDITORSFAILURETOEXAMINER
8、ELEVANTSUPPORTINGDOCUMENTSFOREXAMPLE,EXAMININGADRAFT,INSTEADOFAFINAL,SALESCONTRACTORFAILURETOPERFORMSTEPSLISTEDINTHEAUDITPROGRAMOVERALL,THISFAILURECONTRIBUTEDTOMANAGEMENTSSUCCESSINOVERSTATINGASSETS,THEMOSTCOMMONFRAUDTECHNIQUEDUEPROFESSIONALCARETHESECCLAIMEDTHATAUDITORSFAILEDTOEXERCISEDUEPROFESSIONAL
9、CAREIN71OFTHEENFORCEMENTCASESANDTOMAINTAINANATTITUDEOFPROFESSIONALSKEPTICISMIN60OFTHECASESINGENERAL,THISFAILUREONTHEAUDITORSPARTCANBEFOUNDTHROUGHOUTTHESANCTIONEDAUDITENGAGEMENTSAPPLYINGGAAPINALMOSTHALFOFTHECASES,THESECSAIDTHEAUDITORSFAILEDTOAPPLYORINCORRECTLYAPPLIEDGAAPPRONOUNCEMENTSMANYOFTHEGAAPVIO
10、LATIONSRELATEDTOUNUSUALASSETSWITHUNIQUEACCOUNTINGVALUATIONISSUESOFTENDESCRIBEDINTHELOWERLEVELSOFTHEGAAPHIERARCHYAUDITPROGRAMDESIGNPLANNINGTHEAUDITENGAGEMENTISCRUCIALTOITSSUCCESSDEFICIENCIESINAUDITPLANNINGWERECITEDIN44OFTHECASESSPECIFICALLY,THEAUDITORFAILEDTOPROPERLYASSESSINHERENTRISKANDADJUSTTHEAUDI
11、TPROGRAMACCORDINGLYRECOGNIZETHEHEIGHTENEDRISKASSOCIATEDWITHNONROUTINETRANSACTIONSPREPAREANAUDITPROGRAMORINAPPROPRIATELYREUSEDONEFROMPRIORYEARSAUDITEVIDENCEANOTHERCOMMONDEFICIENCYTHESECALLEGED,PRESENTIN40OFCASES,INVOLVEDOVERRELIANCEONINQUIRYASAFORMOFAUDITEVIDENCETHEAGENCYCITED3AUDITORSFORFAILINGTOCOR
12、ROBORATEMANAGEMENTSEXPLANATIONSORTOCHALLENGEEXPLANATIONSTHATWEREINCONSISTENTORREFUTEDBYOTHEREVIDENCETHEAUDITORHADALREADYGATHEREDFAILURETOOBTAINADEQUATEEVIDENCERELATINGTOTHEEVALUATIONOFSIGNIFICANTMANAGEMENTESTIMATESWASPRESENTIN36OFTHECASESTHESECCLAIMEDAUDITORSFAILEDTOGATHERCORROBORATINGEVIDENCEANDTOC
13、HALLENGEMANAGEMENTSASSUMPTIONSANDMETHODSUNDERLYINGTHEDEVELOPMENTOFTHOSEESTIMATESACCOUNTSRECEIVABLETHESECCITEDNUMEROUSDEFICIENCIESINCONFIRMINGACCOUNTSRECEIVABLEPRESENTIN29OFTHECASESTHESEDEFICIENCIESINCLUDEDFAILURETOCONFIRMENOUGHRECEIVABLESFAILURETOPERFORMALTERNATIVEPROCEDURESWHENCONFIRMATIONSWERENOTR
14、ETURNEDORWERERETURNEDWITHMATERIALEXCEPTIONSPROBLEMSWITHSENDINGANDRECEIVINGCONFIRMATIONREQUESTSFOREXAMPLE,FAILINGTOCORROBORATECONFIRMATIONSRECEIVEDVIAFAXORALLOWINGTHECLIENTTOMAILCONFIRMATIONREQUESTSRELATEDPARTIESANOTHERCOMMONPROBLEMIN27OFCASESWASTHEAUDITORSFAILURETORECOGNIZEORDISCLOSETRANSACTIONSWITH
15、RELATEDPARTIESTHEAUDITORWASEITHERUNAWAREOFTHERELATEDPARTYORAPPEAREDTOCOOPERATEINTHECLIENTSDECISIONTOCONCEALATRANSACTIONWITHTHISPARTYSUCHTRANSACTIONSOFTENRESULTEDININFLATEDASSETVALUESINTERNALCONTROLSIN24OFTHECASES,THESECALLEGEDTHEAUDITORSOVERRELIEDONINTERNALCONTROLSITSAIDTHATTHEYTYPICALLYHADFAILEDTOE
16、XPANDTESTINGINLIGHTOFIDENTIFIEDWEAKNESSESINTHECLIENTSINTERNALCONTROLSINOTHERCASES,THEAUDITORSSEEMEDTOIMPLICITLYASSUMETHEPRESENCEOFNBASELINELEVELOFINTERNALCONTROLS,EVENTHOUGHTHEAUDITORDOCUMENTEDTHATTHECLIENTESSENTIALLYHADNOCONTROLSINPLACEEXECUTIVESUMMARYCPASCANLEARNHOWTOBETTERDETECTFINANCIALSTATEMENT
17、FRAUDBYUNDERSTANDINGTHEMISTAKESOTHERSMADEINCASESWHERETHESECIMPOSEDSANCTIONSONAUDITORSFORTHEIRASSOCIATIONWITHFRAUDULENTLYMISSTATEDFINANCIALSTATEMENTSTHISARTICLEFOCUSESON45SECENFORCEMENTACTIONSAGAINSTAUDITORSINTHEPERIOD1987TO19974TOPAUDITDEFICIENCIESINSECENFORCEMENTACTIONS19871997PROBLEMAREAPERCENTAGE
18、NUMBEROFCASES1GATHERINGSUFFICIENTAUDITEVIDENCE8036CASES2EXERCISINGDUEPROFESSIONALCARE71323DEMONSTRATINGAPPROPRIATELEVELOFPROFESSIONALSKEPTICISM60274INTERPRETINGORAPPLYINGREQUIREMENTSOFGAAP49225DESIGNINGAUDITPROGRAMSANDPLANNINGENGAGEMENTINHERENTRISKISSUES,NONROUTINETRANSACTIONS44206USINGINQUIRYASFORM
19、OFEVIDENCERELYINGTOOMUCHONTHISMETHOD40187OBTAININGADEQUATEEVIDENCERELATEDTOTHEEVALUATIONOFSIGNIFICANTMANAGEMENTESTIMATESFAILINGTOGATHERSUFFICIENTEVIDENCE36168CONFIRMINGACCOUNTSRECEIVABLE29139RECOGNIZING/DISCLOSINGKEYRELATEDPARTIES271210RELYINGONINTERNALCONTROLSRELYTOOMUCH/FAILINGTOREACTTOKNOWNCONTRO
20、LWEAKNESSES2411THEMOSTCOMMONPROBLEM,IN80OFTHECASES,WASTHEAUDITORSFAILURETOGATHERSUFFICIENTAUDITEVIDENCEMANYOFTHECASESINVOLVEDINADEQUATEEVIDENCEINAREASSUCHASASSETVALUATION,ASSETOWNERSHIPANDMANAGEMENTREPRESENTATIONS5INALMOSTHALFOFTHEENFORCEMENTACTIONS,THESECALLEGEDTHEAUDITORSFAILEDTOAPPLYGAAPPRONOUNCE
21、MENTSORAPPLIEDTHEMINCORRECTLYONEWAYFIRMSCANDEALWITHTHISPROBLEMISTOEXPANDTHECOVERAGEOFTECHNICALACCOUNTINGTOPICSINFIRMSPONSOREDTRAININGAUDITPROGRAMDESIGNWASAPROBLEMCITEDIN44OFTHECASESAUDITORSFAILEDTOPROPERLYASSESSINHERENTRISKANDADJUSTTHEAUDITPROGRAMACCORDINGLYTHEBESTWAYFORAFIRMTOREMEDYSUCHDEFICIENCIES
22、ISTOPROMOTEMOREINVOLVEMENTBYAUDITFIRMEXECUTIVESPARTNERSANDMANAGERSINPLANNINGTHEENGAGEMENTOTHERCOMMONAUDITPROBLEMSINCLUDEFAILURETOEXERCISEDUEPROFESSIONALCAREANDTHEAPPROPRIATELEVELOFPROFESSIONALSKEPTICISM,OVERRELIANCEONINQUIRYASAFORMOFAUDITEVIDENCE,DEFICIENCYINCONFIRMINGACCOUNTSRECEIVABLE,FAILURETOREC
23、OGNIZERELATEDPARTYTRANSACTIONSANDASSUMINGINTERNALCONTROLSEXISTWHENTHEYMAYNOTAUDITORSOLUTIONSBASEDONTHEDEFICIENCIESTHESECFOUND,THEREAREANUMBEROFAREASTHATWARRANTSPECIFICATTENTIONFROMCPAFIRMSTHATDOAUDITSANDFROMINDIVIDUALAUDITORSTHEMSELVESAUDITISSUESTHETHREEMOSTCOMMONDEFICIENCIESALLREFLECTENGAGEMENTMANA
24、GEMENTPROBLEMSAFFECTINGMANYAREASOFTHEAUDITAFAILURETOGATHERSUFFICIENT,COMPETENTEVIDENCE,LACKOFDUECAREANDLACKOFPROFESSIONALSKEPTICISMINMANYCASES,THEBESTREMEDYFORSUCHPROBLEMSISFORAUDITORSTODEVELOPAPROPERLYDESIGNEDANDEXECUTEDQUALITYCONTROLSYSTEMSUCHASYSTEMCREATESACULTURETHATENCOURAGESALLMEMBERSOFTHEAUDI
25、TTEAMTOMAINTAINABASELINEACCEPTABLELEVELOFPERFORMANCE,REGARDLESSOFPERCEIVEDDAYTODAYENGAGEMENTANDFIRMPRESSURESCPAFIRMSSHOULDEVALUATETHEIROWNQUALITYCONTROLSYSTEMSTOENSUREPOLICIESANDPROCEDURESEMPHASIZETHEIMPORTANCEOFPROPERAUDITPLANNING,SUPERVISIONANDREVIEW,INCLUDINGTIMELYINVOLVEMENTBYENGAGEMENTANDCONCUR
26、RINGPARTNERSADDITIONALLY,FIRMSSHOULDREEXAMINEEXISTINGEQUALITYCONTROLPROCEDURESTOMAKESURETHEYAREDETAILEDENOUGHTOASSUREFIRMLEADERSTHATAUDITTEAMSAREEXAMININGAPPROPRIATEDOCUMENTATIONFINALDOCUMENTATION,NOTDRAFTSANDTHATTEAMSCOMPLETEALLAUDITPROGRAMSTEPSTHOSEPROCEDURESSHOULDEMPHASIZETHATAUDITORSSHOULD6CORRO
27、BORATEMANAGEMENTREPRESENTATIONSWITHADDITIONALEVIDENCEANDNOTOVERUSEMANAGEMENTINQUIRYASAFORMOFAUDITEVIDENCETHEFIRMS“TONEATTHETOP“ANOTHERMEANSOFREDUCINGOFFICEWIDEAUDITPROBLEMSISTOADDRESSTHEATTITUDESATTHEFIRMSHIGHESTLEVELSHEREARESOMEVALUESACPAFIRMSMANAGINGPARTNERSSHOULDCLEARLYCOMMUNICATETOTHEIREMPLOYEES
28、FIRMSSHOULDDEFINE“CLIENT“TOINCLUDENOTONLYMANAGEMENTBUTALSOTHEENTITYSBOARDOFDIRECTORS,AUDITCOMMITTEE,STOCKHOLDERSANDTHEINVESTINGPUBLICTOENSURETHEAUDITTEAMCONSIDERSALLAFFECTEDPARTIESTHROUGHOUTTHEENGAGEMENTSIGNALTOTHEIRAUDITTEAMSTHATPROVIDINGHIGHQUALITYAUDITSERVICESISATOPPRIORITYANDTHATTHEFIRMDOESNOTVI
29、EWSUCHSERVICESASACOMMODITYAFIRMCANDOTHISBYEMPHASIZINGTHEIMPORTANCEOFAUDITQUALITYINTRAININGPROGRAMSANDANNUALPERFORMANCEREVIEWSENCOURAGEALLPERSONNELTOMAINTAINANATTITUDEOFPROFESSIONALSKEPTICISMTHATFOCUSESONTHEIMPORTANCEOFTHEAUDITORSROLEINPROTECTINGTHEPUBLICINTERESTANDMAINTAININGSTRONGCAPITALMARKETSAFIR
30、MCANACCOMPLISHTHISBYCONDUCTINGPERIODICENGAGEMENTWIDETEAMMEETINGSTODISCUSSCONCERNSABOUTMANAGEMENTINTEGRITYISSUESANDBYHIGHLIGHTINGFORSTAFFMEMBERSTHERISKSOFNOTBEINGSKEPTICALPERFORMANCEMEASUREMENTANDCOMPENSATIONAUDITFIRMSCANBENEFITFROMCLOSELYEXAMININGTHEIRPERFORMANCEMEASUREMENTANDCOMPENSATIONSYSTEMSINMA
31、NYOFTHEFRAUDCASES,ITAPPEAREDAUDITORSSIMPLYCHOSENOTTOPURSUEIDENTIFIEDAUDITISSUES,PERHAPSFEARINGTHETIMESPENTINVESTIGATINGTHOSEISSUESWOULDHINDERCAREERADVANCEMENTORRESULTINPENALTIESDURINGSALARYANDBONUSREVIEWSBECAUSETHEYRANOVERTIMEBUDGETSORMISSEDCLIENTIMPOSEDDEADLINESACLEARMESSAGESHOULDBEPARTOFALLPERSONN
32、ELDECISIONSHIRING,RETENTIONANDPROMOTIONTHATTHEFIRMVALUESHIGHQUALITYAUDITSERVICESANDTHATALLOTHERCONSIDERATIONSINCLUDINGTIMEBUDGETS,FIRMADMINISTRATION,DEVELOPMENTOFNONAUDITSERVICESANDOTHERPRACTICEDEVELOPMENTISSUESARESECONDARYFIRMSALSONEEDTOCAREFULLYEVALUATEWHETHERFEEANDDEADLINEPRESSURESWILLHAVEANIMPAC
33、TONTHEAUDITTEAMSABILITYTODELIVERAHIGHQUALITYAUDIT7GAAPVIOLATIONSCPAFIRMSTHATPERFORMAUDITSCANTAKEANUMBEROFSTEPSTOREDUCETHEINCIDENCEOFGAAPVIOLATIONSAMONGAUDITPERSONNEL,INCLUDINGREQUIRINGSPECIFICINTERNALFIRMCONSULTATIONWITHTECHNICALA未能搜集足够的有力的证据，缺乏应有的谨慎和专业的怀疑态度。在许多情况下，对这类问题的最好办法是对审计人员建立一个适当的计划和执行质量控制体系
34、。这种制度下鼓励审计队伍的所有成员要保持可接受的审计水平，不管是否是日常接触以及是否存在压力。会计师事务所应评估自己的质量控制系统，适当的加强审计规划，监督和审查，以确保政策和程序的正常进行，另外要认识到合作伙伴的参与和赞同的重要性。此外，企业应重新详尽的审视现行公司的领导人之间的平等控制程序。审计小组正在研究适当的文件（最后文件，而不是草案）和各队应完成所有审计计划的步骤。这些程序应强调，审计人员应作为佐证审计证据与其他证据的形式，而不是过度使用管理咨询管理意见。该公司的“高层声音”。另一个降低办公审计问题的解决手段，是取决于公司的最高级别成员的态度。以下是一些会计师事务所的管理合伙人应清楚
35、地传达给员工的观点，公司应定义“客户”，不仅包括管理，而且该公司董事会，审计委员会，股东和投资大众，以确保整个审计小组认为所有受影响人士的参与。14传递自己的审计团队信息，提供高质量的审计服务，已是当务之急，而并不认为这是商品买卖等服务。一家公司可以通过加强审计质量的培训规划和年度绩效评估的重要性这一点。鼓励所有员工保持应有的职业怀疑，审计人员重要的作用是保护公众利益和维持强大的资本市场。一个企业可以通过开展定期的交流完成整个小组会议，讨论有关管理诚信问题和突出的工作人员不被怀疑的风险。绩效测量和补偿。审计公司可以受益于他们的表现仔细检查测量和补偿机制。在很多诈骗案件中，似乎根本没有审计人员确
36、定审计问题的存在，也许是怕花时间调查这些问题，将阻碍审查期间的工资和奖金晋升或惩罚的结果，因为他们跑加班错过了客户预算或强加了最后期限。一个明确的信息，应该包括所有（雇用，留用和晋升）人的意见，该公司影响高质量价值的审计服务和人事决策部分的所有其他因素，包括时间预算，企业管理；非审计服务及其他发展问题的实践与发展都是次要的。企业还需要仔细评估是否收费及期限的压力将会对审计小组提供一个高质量审计产生影响。会计准则的违反。会计师事务所审计的执行可以采取一些步骤，减轻审计人员违反会计准则的发生率，包括当某些会计问题出现的时候，需要特定的内部公司。咨询与技术层面的业界专家合伙人提出意见。扩大会计论题的
37、覆盖面,以及对特定行业的要求进行培训，确保审计人员了解会计准则的细微差别，尤其是那些涉及独特的行业问题。确保公司人员有没有了解SAS的69项规定。目前应当按公认会计原则的独立审计报告一般公认会计原则层次。实施这项建议可能需要公司制定发展方向或购买单独影响公认会计准则模糊问题方面的指导。审计规划。审计人员可以通过采取更广泛和及时的补救措施来调节审计规划中出现的伙伴不足的问题，并与双方接触并同意和参与在规划管理中。这种可能性的参与增加了审计人员正确地评估风险（包括固有和控制）和修改适当的公司的审计方法（性质，范围和时间的测试）。涉及审计团队合作，并在规划阶段管理层将有助于确保审计计划，强调要仔细审
38、查非日常案例。交易的记录，特别是那些接近年底的记录，有些管理层记录不当的交易。15管理层评估。至少，审计人员必须认真审查公司的基础数据、假设和方法的管理，建立对财务报表的评估。适当的评论，取决于审计人员的适当审查与一般和特定行业的专家的一并参与。对特别复杂或不寻常的估计的情况下，专家也可能是必要的。确认应收账款。会计师事务所需要确保他们的审计组在审计过程中有效地处理与确认。公司应提醒团队成员确认应收账款（除非在SAS第67期条件下，在确认过程中，建议确认将不会生效）。确认适当的部分应收项目控制的确认过程。采用替代程序，当确认不被遣返或例外存在。关联方交易。为了提高对可能性关联方交易的检测，审计
39、人员应准备一个关联方名单，不断更新整个社会参与，并分发给所有审计小组成员。询问有关管理的关联方交易的存在。确认的性质和客户的资料或不寻常交易，包括是否有关系的对手方和客户端管理中存在的关联或操纵。一旦审计师揭露关联方交易,他或她有两个另外的职责1仔细检视其交易以确保它的发生和评估的正确；2保证了公认会计准则的要求见57号财务会计准则委员会的相关声明和披露是否满足。依赖的内部控制。在美国证券交易委员会的情况下,审计人员有时过于依赖几个内部控制，以致无法展开测试来发现内部控制的弱点或甚至在没有任何控制测试假设一个基线水平的内部控制的存在。这一问题的发现影响了政策及质量控制的程序,应该明确认识到在未
40、对其有充分测试情况下不能过分依赖。此外,公司应该更紧密链接内部控制评价，以进行实质性的审计测试（性质，时间及抽查的程度）。由于金融和经济压力使得企业高管收紧，这是比以往更加发展健全的欺诈检测的审计技术。美国证券交易委员会审计在1987年和1997年之间涉嫌的审计缺陷在我们看来，对于有些问题的行业和个别企业可以有效地解决。在这篇文章这些建议可以帮助企业降低财务报表欺诈未被发现资料的机会，因为他们努力，不16断提高欺诈风险评估工具。不足之处，美国证券交易委员会的审核认定对标准制定者也有重要影响，因为他们寻求加强有关职业标准与审计师的欺诈检测的责任。出处比斯利，马克斯，卡赛喽，约瑟夫五，赫曼森，德纳河。会计杂志（美国），20016366。
