The fraud triangle shows up at every accounting and auditing conference I have ever been to. It is now imbedded in the Green Book, the Yellow Book, and the COSO model. And honestly, I was getting a little tired of it until I applied it to my own life and my own clients. Now I […]
Blog
The Little Things Make a Huge Difference in Audit Documentation
Source, purpose, procedures, results, conclusions. When I first started auditing, these so called “elements of audit documentation” were drilled into my brain by an anal-retentive audit supervisor so effectively that I could say them in my sleep. That very strict audit supervisor made me put that stuff on every document! Sometimes I was more than […]
Consulting Engagements vs. Audit Engagements
Consulting engagements are much more fun than audit engagements: less restrictions, less documentation, and often more interesting work. And to top it off, on a consulting engagement you get to be helpful instead of critical. Nice! But if your main gig is auditing, consulting can be problematic. One problem arises when applying GAO auditing standards. […]
How to Edit Performance Audit Reports for Readability
Performance audit reports are not exactly fun to read. Face it, no one cares as much about what you wrote as you do. And that is why you have to make it so easy for a reader to get to your message so that they can hardly resist reading more.
That Auditing Standard Doesn’t Apply to Me!
Which auditing standard does your audit team follow? IIA, GAGAS, AICPA, PCAOB or something else? Is your loyalty to one particular auditing standard blinding you to the helpfulness and strengths of the others? It is my habit to send my course materials to all of my clients a few weeks in advance so they have […]
What are the Yellow Book CPE requirements?
One of the toughest aspects of doing a Yellow Book audit is complying with the Yellow Book CPE requirements. And the requirements are a little bit involved.
Why We Need Fraud Brainstorming
Over and over and over again, we hear of instances where auditors miss fraudulent activity.
Is Lean Six Sigma a New Religion?
Why are we doing it this way? The term Lean Six Sigma is so mysterious and vague it could pertain to almost anything.
Why an audit peer review is like a trip to the dentist
An audit peer review is like a trip to the dentist; both are pretty annoying experiences, but both are ultimately good for us. A dentist keeps your gorgeous teeth in your mouth and a peer review keeps your professional credibility in tact. The dreaded dentist Last year, one of my fillings fell out and I […]