Audit Documentation: What Is the Impact of Communication and Information of Audit Documentation

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longer than expected when the involved risks are greater. These include risks linked to conduct of the audit, material misstatement risks, or significant finding and deficiency. Hence, in such cases there is a need to have more judgment in work performance, as well as results evaluation. This facilitates in having significance of evidence and the means of critical conclusions on the audit objectives. It is the used communication by the auditors, which facilitates in the determination of the level of the risks, associated judgment issues and the vital conclusion that needs to be made.

The communication that is included in the audit documentation aids in understanding the presentation of the document. As such, it is essential to have a purpose section of the audit procedures, the source of the documents included, the conclusions that the auditors develop the extent of the document, the nature of the document and the timing. These are well represented when the auditors embrace an effective communication strategy.

In addition to the provision of the audit documentation, auditors have the responsibility of including additional information, which they may find essential and significant towards the development of the final conclusions (SAS, 2006). It is this information, which helps in the clarification of issues, contradicts and inconsistencies that may be evidenced in the audited work. Such indicates a need to have records that relate to the procedures conducted as a means of responding to information; consultations based documents, resolutions resources and differences that are attained in the professional judgment of the information that is contained with reference to the engagement team. The information should be persuasive to ensure that the written audit document makes sense to the readers.

Conclusion

The core purpose of audit documentation is to deliver a message of the auditor’s report and activities to other parties. Thus, there is a need to have an effective communication strategy, which will ensure that all the other parties have the potential of comprehending the message, which is included in the audit documentation structure. The documentation of the auditors has to provide coherent communication to eliminate issues of misunderstanding on the audit work. This may lead to the disqualification of the auditors or ignorance of the audit report if the communication is not provided in a clear manner. In addition, presentation of persuasive information aids in evidencing the auditing work of the auditors, which creates credibility to the work that the auditors have conducted for the purposes of achieving success.

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