Returning Value Blog

In certain circumstances, businesses may need to hire CPAs to perform agreed-upon procedures (AUPs) instead of (or in addition to) a review or an audit. AUPs are a type of attestation engagement “in which a practitioner performs specific procedures on the subject matter and reports the findings without providing an opinion or conclusion,” according to the standards set forth by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Four antifraud controls are associated with at least a 50% reduction in both fraud loss and duration, according to “Occupational Fraud 2024: A Report to the Nations” published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). They are financial statement audits, reporting hotlines, surprise audits, and proactive data analysis. However, the ACFE study also found that two of these — surprise audits and proactive data analysis — are among the least commonly implemented controls. Here’s how your organization might benefit from conducting periodic surprise audits.

Interim financial reporting is essential to running a successful business. When reviewing midyear financial reports, however, you should recognize their potential shortcomings. These reports might not be as reliable as year-end financials unless a CPA prepares them or performs agreed-upon procedures on specific accounts.

Reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters is an increasingly crucial area of corporate compliance. While ESG reporting and disclosure apply primarily to public companies, there are efforts aimed at requiring private companies to also report on these matters. For example, the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires private organizations that meet specific criteria to publish social and environmental risks and their impacts.

External auditors spend a lot of time during fieldwork evaluating how businesses report work-in-progress (WIP) inventory. Here’s why this warrants special attention and how auditors evaluate whether WIP estimates seem reasonable.

Auditor independence is the cornerstone of the accounting profession. Auditors’ commitment to follow the standards set forth by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) ensures stakeholders can trust that audited financial statements present an accurate picture of the performance and condition of companies.

If your business has significant inventory on its balance sheet, it can be costly. The carrying costs of inventory include warehousing, salaries, insurance, taxes, and transportation, as well as depreciation and shrinkage. Plus, tying up working capital in inventory detracts from other strategic investment opportunities.

As audit season begins for calendar-year entities, it’s important to review issues that may arise during fieldwork. One common issue is materiality. This concept is used to determine what’s important enough to be included in — and what can be omitted from — a financial statement. Here’s how materiality is determined and used during an external financial statement audit.

As year-end approaches, it’s time for some calendar-year businesses to perform physical inventory counts. This activity is more than a time-consuming chore; it’s an opportunity to improve your company’s operational efficiency. Here are some best practices as you prepare to count your inventory, as well as guidance on how to get more from these counts.

Is your business constantly replacing its tools and small equipment? Certain items that can fit in a backpack, pocket, or even the armrest of a vehicle — such as power tools, hard hats, iPads, and RFID readers — have a tendency to “walk away” from job sites, warehouses, and offices. However, the cost of lost, damaged, and stolen items can quickly erode profits and cash flow. An effective tracking system can help remedy this problem by making workers more accountable.