Many auditors use more than a checklist to review an organization's accounting activities, according to "The CPA Journal." With the amount of high-level fraud cases in recent years, auditors, both internal and external, are held to higher scrutiny if problems are detected. Prepare for an audit throughout the year by establishing and maintaining your organization's accounting policies, from how petty cash is handled to the methodology used to report quarterly and annual earnings.
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Establish an Accounting Policy
In your organization, establish policies for handling petty cash, reimbursement request documentation, the calculation of payroll checks and disbursements, reporting profits, bank statement reconciliation, and what reports should be generated on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. See the references section of this article for a link to a sample checklist.
Whether your organization is small or large, any policy established should involve all the necessary decision makers, such as the CEO, CFO or board of directors.
Refer to Existing Policies
Use existing policies from other organizations as a guide. The more research that is conducted, the better chance you will cover all your bases. Then modify your policy to meet your specific accounting needs.
Existing policies may be found online through a simple search. Accounting policies for local governmental agencies can be accessed through GRAMA (Government Records Access Management Act) by submitting a written request in person or by mail. Many accountants have knowledge of general accounting policies for companies in which they have worked. In the United States, generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) also provide helpful guidelines.
Reduce Liability
Reduce liability by requiring your managerial staff, accountants, internal auditors, and in-house counsel to sign contracts that require them to be honest and accurate in company dealings, essentially transferring some of the liability to them if your company is ever faced with charges of a white-collar crime.
Update Policy Regularly
Update your policies to meet changes in laws and the accounting standards that you use. Do this by maintaining the certifications of your organizations' CPAs, and subscribe to accounting and other business journals. For example, the interpretation of the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation has been a subject of debate since it calls for additional checks and balances that may require a company to hire more accountants.
If your company issues stock, staying up to date in such changes is particularly important, as your accounting methods affect those individuals and organizations that purchase shares of your stock. Publicly traded entities in the United States must provide timely and accurate quarterly and annual reports (10-Qs and 10-Ks, respectively) to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are then available as a public record.
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