Audit of the Payroll and Personnel Cycle _ Accounting & Audting
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This document discusses the audit of the payroll and personnel cycle. It identifies key accounts and transactions such as wages payable, payroll taxes payable, and cash. It describes the related business functions, documents, and internal controls. It provides guidance on assessing risks, testing controls, and performing substantive tests of transactions and account balances. These include analytical procedures to identify potential misstatements, as well as detailed tests of liability and expense accounts to ensure accurate cutoff and balances. The overall goal is to obtain sufficient evidence that payroll and personnel accounts are fairly stated in accordance with GAAP.
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Audit of the Payroll and Personnel Cycle _ Accounting & Audting
- 1. Audit of the Payroll and Personnel Cycle Chapter 20 ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 5-5
- 2. Learning Objective 1 Identify the accounts and transactions in the payroll and personnel cycle. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 2
- 3. Accounts in the Payroll and Personnel Cycle The overall objective in the audit of the payroll and personnel cycle is to evaluate whether the account balances affected by the cycle are fairly stated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 3
- 4. Accounts in the Payroll and Personnel Cycle Cash in Bank Payment for salaries Accrued Wages, Salaries, Bonuses, and Commissions Payment Beginning balance Direct Labor Earned wages, salaries, etc. Ending balance Payment for payroll taxes Withheld Income Taxes and Other Deductions Payment Beginning balance Payroll withholding Ending balance ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 4
- 5. Accounts in the Payroll and Personnel Cycle In most systems the accrued wages and salaries account is used only at the end of an accounting period. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 5
- 6. Learning Objective 2 Describe the business functions and the related documents and records in the payroll and personnel cycle. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 6
- 7. Business Functions in the Cycle and Related Documents and Records The payroll and personnel cycle…. Begins Personnel Hiring Ends Payments ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 7
- 8. Personnel and Employment Personnel records Deduction authorization form Rate authorization form ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 8
- 9. Timekeeping and Payroll Preparation Time Card Job Time Ticket Payroll Transaction File Payroll Journal Timekeeping and Payroll Preparation ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 9
- 10. Payroll Master File A payroll master file is used for recording each payroll transaction for each employee and maintaining total employee wages paid for the year to date. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 10
- 11. Payment of Payroll Payroll check Payroll bank account reconciliation ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 11
- 12. Preparation of Payroll Tax Returns and Payment of Taxes W-2 Form Payroll tax returns ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 12
- 13. Learning Objective 3 Understand internal control and design and perform tests of controls and substantive tests of transactions for the payroll and personnel cycle. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 13
- 14. Methodology for Designing Controls and Substantive Tests Understand internal control – payroll and personnel Assess planned control risk – payroll and personnel Determine extent of testing controls Design tests of controls and Audit procedures substantive tests of transactions Sample size for payroll and personnel to meet Items to select transaction-related audit Timing objectives ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 14
- 15. Understand Internal Control – Payroll and Personnel Cycle Adequate separation of duties Proper authorization Adequate documents and records Physical control over assets and records Independent checks on performance ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 15
- 16. Payroll Tax Forms and Payments Preparation of payroll tax forms Timely payment of the payroll taxes withheld and other withholdings ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 16
- 17. Inventory and Fraudulent Payroll Considerations Relationship between payroll and inventory valuation Tests for nonexistent employees ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 17
- 18. Methodology for Designing Tests of Balances for Payroll Liabilities Identify client business risks affecting payroll liability accounts Phase I Set tolerable misstatement and assess inherent risk Phase I for payroll liability accounts Assess control risk for the Phase I payroll and personnel cycle ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 18
- 19. Methodology for Designing Tests of Balances for Payroll Liabilities Design and perform tests of controls and substantive tests Phase II of transactions for the payroll and personnel cycle ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 19
- 20. Methodology for Designing Tests of Balances for Payroll Liabilities Design and perform analytical procedures Phase III for the payroll and personnel cycle Design tests of Audit procedures details of payroll Sample size accounts balances to satisfy Items to select balance-related Timing audit objectives ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley Phase III 20 - 20
- 21. Learning Objective 4 Design and perform analytical procedures for the payroll and personnel cycle. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 21
- 22. Analytical Procedures for the Payroll and Personnel Cycle Analytical procedure Possible misstatement Compare payroll expense account balances with previous years Misstatement of payroll expense accounts Compare direct labor as a percentage of sales with previous years Misstatement of direct labor and inventory ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 22
- 23. Analytical Procedures for the Payroll and Personnel Cycle Analytical procedure Possible misstatement Compare commission expense as a % of sales with previous years Misstatement of commission expense and commission liability Compare payroll tax expense as a % of salaries and wages with prior year Misstatement of payroll tax expense and payroll tax liability Compare accrued payroll Misstatement of accrued tax accounts with prior year payroll taxes and expense ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 23
- 24. Learning Objective 5 Design and perform tests of details of balances for accounts in the payroll and personnel cycle. ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 24
- 25. Two Major Balance-related Audit Objectives 1. Accruals in the trial balance are stated at the correct amounts (accuracy). 2. Transactions in the payroll and personnel cycle are recorded in the proper period (cutoff). ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 25
- 26. Tests of Details of Balances for Liability Accounts Amounts withheld from employees’ pay Accrued salaries and wages Accrued commissions Accrued bonuses Accrued vacation pay, sick pay, or other benefits Accrued payroll taxes ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 26
- 27. Tests of Details of Balances for Expense Accounts Officers’ compensation Commissions Payroll tax expense Total payroll Contract labor ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 27
- 28. Presentation and Disclosure Objectives Required disclosures are not extensive Some complex transactions require footnote disclosure ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 28
- 29. Types of Audit Tests for the Payroll and Personnel Cycle Payroll Liabilities Cash in Bank Direct Labor and Payroll Expenses Payments Expenses Audited by TOC, STOT, and AP Audited by TOC, STOT, and AP Ending balance Ending balance Audited by AP and TDB TOC + STOT + AP + TDB = Sufficient appropriate evidence per GAAS ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 20 - 29
- 30. End of Chapter 20 ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley 5-5
Editor's Notes
- Personnel records include such data as the date of employment, personnel investigations, rates of pay, authorized deductions, performance evaluations and termination of employment. This form is used to authorize payroll deductions including the number of exemptions for withholding income taxes. The rate form is used to authorize the rate of pay.
- Adequate controls are necessary to prevent misstatements in the following activities: Prepare time records by employee Summarize and calculate gross pay Payment of payroll Prepare payroll records
- The payroll master file is a computer file used for recording payroll transactions for each employee and maintaining total employee wages paid for the year.
- Payments may be made by check but are usually deposited directly into an employee’s individual bank account.
- The W-2 form is sent to each employee and summarizes the employee's earning for the calendar year. The payroll tax returns are forms submitted to local state and federal units of government to show payment of withheld taxes and the employer’s tax.
- Internal control for payroll is normally highly structured and well-controlled to manage cash disbursed to minimize employee complaints and dissatisfaction to minimize payroll fraud. Tests of controls and substantive tests of transactions are the most important means of verifying account balances in the payroll and personnel cycle. These tests are emphasized because of the lack of independent third party evidence.
- Segregation of duties is necessary in the payroll cycle to prevent overpayments and payments to nonexistent employees. Only the human resources department should be authorized to add and delete employees from the payroll or change pay rates and deductions. The appropriate documents and records depend on the nature of the payroll system. Time records are necessary for hourly employees but not for salaried employees. Access to unsigned payroll checks should be restricted. Payroll computations should be independently verified including comparison of batch totals to summary reports.
- As part of understanding internal control, the auditor should review the preparation of at least one of each type of payroll tax form that the client files.
- When labor is a material part of the inventory valuation, auditors should emphasize testing internal controls over proper classification of payroll transactions. Consistency from period to period is essential for classification.
- Significant business risks affecting payroll are unlikely for most companies. However, risks may exist for complex compensation arrangements including bonus and stock option plans and other deferred compensation arrangements. Inherent risk is typically low for all balance related audit objectives.
- Tests of accrued payroll expenses are ordinarily straightforward if internal controls are operating effectively.
- Two major balance-related audit objectives in testing payroll liabilities are: 1. Accruals in the trial balance are stated at the correct amounts ( accuracy) 2. Transactions in the payroll and personnel cycle are recorded in the proper period.
- Discuss how the auditor might test the above accrued payroll related accounts.