10 Management ordinarily establishes procedures under which inventory is physically counted at least once a year to serve as a basis for the preparation of the financial report or to ascertain the reliability of the perpetual inventory system.
11 The auditor shall obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the existence and condition of inventory by attendance at physical inventory counting unless impracticable.
12 The auditor’s attendance serves as a test of controls or substantive procedures over inventory depending on the auditor’s risk assessment and planned approach. Such attendance enables the auditor, for example, to inspect the inventory, to observe compliance with the operation of management’s procedures for recording and controlling the results of the count and to provide audit evidence as to the reliability of management’s procedures.
13 If unable to attend the physical inventory count on the date planned due to unforeseen circumstances, the auditor shall take or observe some physical counts on an alternative date and, when necessary, perform audit procedures on intervening transactions.
14 Where attendance is impracticable, due to factors such as the nature and location of the inventory, the auditor shall consider whether alternative procedures provide sufficient appropriate audit evidence of existence and condition to conclude that the auditor need not make reference to a scope limitation.
15 For example, documentation of the subsequent sale of specific inventory items acquired or purchased prior to the physical inventory count may provide sufficient appropriate audit evidence.
16 The auditor may audit a financial report that contains one or more reporting periods for which the auditor has not observed or made some physical count of inventory. The auditor may however be able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding prior period inventory by performing such procedures as:
tests of prior period transactions;
review of the records of prior counts; and
the application of gross profit tests.
17 In planning attendance at the physical inventory count or the alternative procedures, the auditor ordinarily considers the following:
the risks of material misstatement related to inventory;
the nature of the internal control related to inventory;
whether adequate procedures are expected to be established and proper instructions issued for physical inventory counting;
the timing of the count;
the locations at which inventory is held; and
whether an expert’s assistance is needed.
18 When the quantities are to be determined by a physical inventory count and the auditor attends such a count, or when the entity operates a perpetual system and the auditor attends a count one or more times during the year, the auditor would ordinarily observe count procedures and perform test counts.
19 If the entity uses procedures to estimate the physical quantity of inventory that is material, the auditor shall design and perform audit procedures to be satisfied with the reasonableness of those procedures.
20 ASA 540 Audit of Accounting Estimates, provides mandatory requirements and explanatory guidance on the audit of accounting estimates.
21 When inventory is situated in several locations, under paragraph 5 of this Auditing Standard, the auditor needs to consider at which locations attendance is appropriate, taking into account the materiality of the inventory and the risk of material misstatement at different locations.
22 In certain circumstances, it may be necessary for the auditor to rely on the work performed by an expert regarding, for example, the quantity of inventory. For mandatory requirements and explanatory guidance on using the work of an expert refer to ASA 620 Using the Work of an Expert.
23 The auditor would ordinarily review management’s instructions regarding:
the application of control activities, for example, collection of used stocksheets, accounting for unused stocksheets and count and re-count procedures;
accurate identification of the stage of completion of work in progress, of slow moving, obsolete or damaged items and of inventory owned by a third party, for example, on consignment; and
whether appropriate arrangements are made regarding the movement of inventory between areas and the shipping and receipt of inventory before and after the cut-off date.
24 To obtain audit evidence that management’s control activities are adequately implemented, the auditor would ordinarily observe employees’ procedures and perform test counts. When performing test counts, the auditor ordinarily performs procedures over both the completeness and the accuracy of the count records by tracing items selected from those records to the physical inventory and items selected from the physical inventory to the count records. The auditor ordinarily considers the extent to which copies of such count records need to be retained for subsequent audit procedures and comparison.
25 The auditor ordinarily considers cut-off procedures including details of the movement of inventory just prior to, during and after the count so that the accounting for such movements can be checked at a later date.
26 For practical reasons, the physical inventory count may be conducted at a date other than period end. This will ordinarily be adequate for audit purposes only when the entity has designed and implemented controls over changes in inventory. The auditor ordinarily determines whether, through the performance of appropriate audit procedures, changes in inventory between the count date and period end are free of material error and reasonably stated.
27 When the entity operates a perpetual inventory system which is used to determine the period end balance, the auditor would ordinarily evaluate whether, through the performance of additional procedures, the reasons for any significant differences between the physical count and the perpetual inventory records are understood and the records are properly adjusted.
28 Ordinarily, the auditor performs audit procedures over the final inventory listing to determine whether it accurately reflects actual inventory counts.
Inventory Under Control or Custody of a Third Party
29 When inventory is under the custody and control of a third party, the auditor ordinarily obtains direct confirmation from the third party as to the quantities and condition of inventory held on behalf of the entity. Depending on materiality of this inventory the auditor ordinarily considers the following:
the integrity and independence of the third party;
observing, or arranging for another auditor to observe, the physical inventory count;
obtaining another auditor’s report on the adequacy of the third party’s internal control for ensuring that inventory is correctly counted and adequately safeguarded; and
inspecting documentation regarding inventory held by third parties, for example, warehouse receipts, or obtaining confirmation from other parties when such inventory has been pledged as collateral.
Section Attendance at Physical Inventory Countin - ASA 501 - Existence and Valuation of Inventory - April 2006 - Attendance at Physical Inventory Counting | Zoe