Judging the significance of a matter requires an objective analysis of the facts and circumstances.
An important factor in determining the form, content and extent of audit documentation of significant matters is the extent of professional judgment exercised in performing the work and evaluating the results. Documentation of the professional judgments made, where significant, serves to explain the auditor’s conclusions and to reinforce the quality of the judgment. Such matters are of particular interest to those responsible for reviewing audit documentation, including those carrying out subsequent audits, when reviewing matters of continuing significance (for example, when performing a retrospective review of accounting estimates).
Following are examples of significant matters-
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1 |
Matters that give rise to significant risks. |
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2 |
Results of audit procedures indicating |
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a |
That the financial statements could be materially misstated |
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b |
A need to revise the auditor’s previous assessment of the risks of material misstatement and the auditor’s responses to those risks. |
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3 |
Circumstances that cause the auditor significant difficulty in applying necessary audit procedures.
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4 |
Findings that could result in a modification to the audit opinion or the inclusion of an Emphasis of Matter Paragraph in the auditor’s report.
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