Auditing of Consolidated Reports
Consolidated financial reports are used to combine the financial information of separate companies for external stakeholders. Often times this requires special treatment from an audit perspective as the consolidation processes are often complex, and should be properly audited and checked.
The purpose of auditing consolidated reports is to ensure that the consolidated information is accurate and complete. This is done by performing various tests and investigations throughout the consolidation processes. To understand the process, the auditor must become familiar with the individual entity’s financial information, organizational structure, and operations. He or she will then audit the combining and elimination process, looking for accuracy and completeness in the consolidation. This includes assessments of the accuracy of the numbers, presentation of the information to investors, and integrity of the system used to prepare the consolidated reports.
The auditor must also be mindful of the potential for bias in the information. Any potential bias must be addressed, as it can lead to inaccurate financial statements. After determining accuracy, the auditor must then assess the fairness with which the consolidated financial statements have been prepared. This includes considering both the assertion of the individual entities, as well as the overall picture. The auditor should evaluate whether any of the significant transactions have been included or omitted and ensure the consolidation has been applied consistently throughout the entire period.
The auditor must also consider any audit issues specific to the consolidation process. Unique audit issues related to consolidation should be considered when preparing the financial statement audit program or audit scope. These audit issues include analyzing the effect of the inter-entity and consolidated eliminations, as well as the accuracy of reporting, and the reliability of third party information.
Finally, the auditor should consider the financial statement disclosures in the consolidated financial reports and ensure they meet the relevant reporting requirements. This means ensuring all important information is presented, as well as ensuring the notes to the financial statements are sufficient to provide a complete understanding of the consolidated financial statements. The auditor must also consider the presence of any potential misstatements, and should verify any significant assumptions the management has used.
Overall, the key to successful auditing of consolidated reports is for the auditor to have a comprehensive understanding of the individual entities and the consolidation process. He or she should then apply his or her audit knowledge and skills, both to the individual entities and to the consolidated financial statements as a whole. With a complete understanding of the process and appropriate audit procedures, the auditor can complete a successful audit of consolidated reports.