This audit program outlines the steps to audit a company's inventory. It identifies risks such as incomplete records, transactions in the wrong period, nonexistent items, and unrealizable carrying values. The steps include observing the physical inventory, examining receiving and issuing activity, testing schedules of obsolete/slow items, and testing the costing of inventory details to evaluate accuracy. The overall goal is to determine if inventory records, transactions, and values are complete and accurate.

1. Audit Program For Inventory
AUDIT PROGRAM FOR INVENTORY
Risks
 Inventory records may not be complete
 Inventory transactions may be processed in the wrong period
 Inventory items may not exist
 Inventory carrying values may not be realizable
Steps
1) Observe physical inventory
To an extent based on materiality and inherent risk, perform the following:
a) Inspect the premises to determine whether:
• The arrangement of inventory is such that an accurate count is possible.
• The inventory is in good condition with adequate storage space, and whether
items are properly packed or binned in a convenient manner for counting.
• Scrape, obsolete, and damaged goods are adequately identified and
segregated.
• Inventory owned by third parties is adequately identified and segregated.
• Inventories appear to adequately safeguard against access by unauthorized
persons and protected against deterioration.
b) In observing physical inventory counts, determine whether:
• The counts are carried out under proper supervision. Determine whether this
official is independent of the custody and recording of inventory. Observe
whether persons supervising the inventory make test counts in all areas and
review all areas where inventory are kept to ensure that they have all been
counted and the count are recorded.
• Appropriate procedures are employed to control inventory movements (e.g.,
transfers, stock picking, etc.) during the count.
• Quantities and description are properly entered on the inventory tags or sheets.
• The methods used to determine quantities are reasonably accurate.
• There are adequate procedures for determining quantities of goods not
susceptible to direct physical counting (e.g., screws, nails).
• Counts total are adequately checked by persons other than the original
counters.
• There are adequate procedures to ensure that all inventory (other than that on
the company’s premises owned by others) is counted and that no inventory is
counted more than once.
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2. Audit Program For Inventory
• Inventory on the company’s premises owned by others has been
appropriately identified and counted.
• Tags or count sheets are signed by individuals carrying out the count, or other
suitable means of identifying individuals carrying out the count have been
established, such as assigning tags or count sheets to count teams.
c) Test the counting of inventory items by selecting items from the inventory tags or
sheets and perform an independent count. Perform other counts of inventories and
compare the results with those recorded on the inventory tags or sheets by
company personnel. Follow up any differences noted in the counts. Record
selected items counted or subsequent comparison with priced inventory listings.
(Existence/Occurrence, Accuracy)
d) Determine that procedures for accounting for all inventory tags and count sheets
are followed and that all such tags and sheets have been accounted for, including
used and unused tags and sheets, and that they are secured against alteration.
Obtain details of records in order to test later for suppression, manipulation,
addition or substitution of records after the physical inventory count (e.g., take
copies of some or the entire count sheet) (Completeness).
e) Determine whether slow-moving, obsolete, and damaged items are identified and
recorded by the count teams
f) Consider the procedures established for determining cutoff, visit the receiving and
shipping departments and note the last receiving and shipping documents numbers
before the count if the client procedures are not based on pre-numbered
documents, and then prepare a list of shipping and receiving documents for a
period immediately before and after the end of the period. Include documents for
returns to suppliers and from customers, if different documents are used.
g) If appropriate, involve an expert to provide assistance in evaluating the
appropriateness of the value assigned.
2) Examine receiving and issuing activity
Test, to obtain a moderate to low level of assurance, the cutoff of inventory by using
information obtained at the physical inventory observation and data from cutoff
procedures and the search for unrecorded liabilities. Perform the following:
a) Examine issues transactions and supporting documentation for a period before the
balance sheet date and determine that goods issued before the balance sheet date
have been excluded from raw materials inventory, and that goods included in raw
materials inventory are not included in work in progress, finished goods, sales and
cost of sales.
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3. Audit Program For Inventory
b) Select receiving reports for goods received before the balance sheet date and
determine that all goods received before the inventory have been included in
inventory and liabilities.
c) Review supporting documentation for goods not included in the physical count
but included in the general ledger inventory control account (e.g., inventory in
transit, duty and freight, returns) and determines that the goods are properly
included in inventory and the related liability has been recorded.
d) Examine purchase and issues transactions and detailed supporting documents for
the period after the balance sheet date to determine that they have been reflected
in the proper period. Where pre-numbered documents are used, ensure that
documents have been used in sequence and earlier numbers are included in and
later numbers excluded from transactions in the period.
e) Review records of returned goods and claims against suppliers and related debit/
(credit) memoranda for periods before and after the cutoff date to determine to
that returns and claims against suppliers made after the cutoff date have been
entered in the appropriate period.
3) Test obsolete, slow-moving, scrapped or damaged listing
Test, to an extent based upon materiality and inherent risk, the schedules of slow-moving,
obsolete, scrapped or damaged items used to determine the net realizable value of
inventory by performing the following:
a) Determine whether slow-making , obsolete, scrapped or damaged items have been
adequately identified by:
• Obtaining and reviewing a schedule of items that have shown little or no
recent movement;
• Tracing information obtained during the observation of the physical inventory
to management reports of slow-moving, obsolete, scrapped of damaged item;
• Reviewing detailed inventory records, bin cards, etc.;
• Reviewing periodic reports to management concerning such information;
• Discussing with management quantities held in the light of current production
requirements, sales order received and future marketing forecasts; examine
documentation, including, where appropriate, aged listings of inventory
balances, substantiating the information obtained; and
• Discussing with management whether any substantial inventory amounts may
not be realizable because of major delays or disputes, defective work,
marketing difficulties, etc.
b) Review the pricing of such inventory and determine whether is priced in excess of
net realizable value.
4) Test client’s costing of inventory detail
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4. Audit Program For Inventory
Test the costing of the detailed priced raw materials inventory listings to obtain a
moderate to low level of assurance that accuracy is achieved by performing the
following:
a) Obtain and document and understanding of methods procedures for costing
inventory;
b) Performs audit procedures to ensure that the inventory costs are appropriate, e.g.,
trace unit costs of inventory items to and from suppliers’ invoices or standard
costing information;
c) Determine whether the method of inventory pricing is consistent with the prior
year; and
d) If appropriate, involve an expert to provide assistance in evaluating the
appropriateness of the value assigned.
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