Identifying Audit Adjustments with Attention-Directing Procedures.
研究发现，客户询问、基于上年错误的预期和分析性复核这三种注意力引导程序能发现近一半的重大审计错误，且成本较低。本文基于一家八大会计师事务所的186个审计项目，详细报告了这些程序的应用效果，并发现内部控制强弱会影响审计程序的诊断能力。
Abstract ABSTRACT: Studies of the error-detection performance of audit procedures have found that three attention-directing procedures--client inquiry, expectations based on prior-year errors, and analytical review--signal almost half of the material errors detected. Further, the cost of performing such procedures appears to be relatively low, suggesting a positive cost/effectiveness relation. The primary purpose of the present study is to report detailed results of applying these attention-directing procedures when errors are identified. The sample consists of 186 engagements involving 368 proposed audit adjustments of a Big Eight audit firm. The results corroborate prior studies in that about half of the errors were signaled by the three attention-directing procedures and the simplest forms of these procedures (e.g., analytical reviews comparing current- and prior-year balances) identify many errors. Moreover, internal controls appear to condition the diagnosticity of audit procedures. When controls are strong, procedures involving internal accounting data are more diagnostic, while with weak controls evidence external to the accounting records signals relatively more errors.