The audit is one of the best known financial resources. Although it does not always have the same objectives, since these vary in each case, in a generic way it can be defined as an examination of the accounts and assets of a company, as well as the result of internal operations.
What is an audit: definition?
An audit examines and evaluates the operation of a company from one or more perspectives. You can focus on your finances, your accounts, quality or job security. It can be oriented towards a specific goal, such as sustainability; or limited to ensuring that the organization aligns with the enforceable regulatory requirements.
Audits look at things like financial statements, ledgers, processes and procedures, workspaces, or products to be marketed. Many companies have routine audits once a year, while others only does them on time, for specific reasons.
What is clear is that, in addition to being great allies of compliance, audits can help to detect problems within the business and, in the long term, help to direct the company and boost its results.
Who can do an audit?
An audit must be carried out by a person in charge or a group of people specialized in this matter, that is, who have a corresponding qualification and demonstrable experience, in addition to having independent criteria.
Objective pursued by the audit
Every audit has the objective of preparing a document in which the results of the process are collected and that, at the same time, serves as a reference for third-party agents, whether they are members of the company itself or of an official body or institution that has requested the start of the Auditors in Dubai.
Audit characteristics
There are six auditing principles, on which auditing is based, in accordance with the ISO standards:
· Integrity: any audit must be based on professionalism.
· Fair presentation: Each audit has a responsibility to report its findings not only accurately but also truthfully.
· Due Professional Care: Each audit should be conducted in such a way that good judgment and due diligence are applied to the process.
· Confidentiality - Much of the information that is collected and shared during an audit is confidential in nature. Your safety must, therefore, be properly ensured.
· Independence: the audit, whether carried out by an internal or external auditor, must be impartial and the conclusions must be objective, without being influenced by any member of the organization's management.
· Evidence-based approach: The audit conclusions must be reached in a rational manner and must not only be reliable but also reproducible. The only way this is possible is for the audit process to be systematic and evidence-based.
Main types of audit. Which one suits me best?
Auditing as a legal resource has evolved in recent decades, giving rise to various specialties. At present, 5 main types of audits are known that differ basically by the objectives and the agents that carry them out.
What kinds of auditing are best for the business?
Let's see what each of them consists of:
1. External or legal audit:
This is an examination of the accounts that is carried out by legal request. The idea of ​​the procedure is to verify that the financial status and operations of a company agree with the official records. In these cases, the auditor is an independent person who has nothing to do with the company.
2. Internal audit:
In this case, it is an evaluation process carried out by the members of the company itself. The objective is almost always to review the processes that take place in it and from there to propose solutions. This audit is voluntary or at most requested by management.
3. Operational audit:
Its central objective is to increase the performance of a company. Although it can be performed by both an external agent and an internal agent, what is sought is to review the procedures that are part of the day-to-day life and improve the level of productivity. In other words, it goes beyond the review of financial statements. A good example of this type of audit is the one carried out to determine whether a company meets minimum quality standards.
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4. Public or government audit:
It is the one that is carried out directly at the request of a government entity. Its objective is to review the financial statements of companies and identify any type of irregularity, such as tax evasion, unjustified financing or non-compliance with labor laws. In United Arab Emirates, this task falls to the Court of Accounts.
5. Computer audit:
Almost all companies depend on computer systems. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out an evaluation from time to time and, if the case requires it, update and adapt them to the requirements of the context. The two main types of computer audits are those carried out in computer systems (ICS) and those of electronic data processes (PED).
Other kinds of audit
It is worth underlining that in recent times, types of audits specific to the context in which we live have emerged , such as environmental auditing, ethical auditing and economic-social auditing, among others.