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Auditing Essentials

Date(s): Oct 17, 2018 - Oct 18, 2018
Time: 8:15AM - 4:30PM
Registration Fee: $329.00
Cancellation Date: Oct 10, 2018
Location: JOHN M. KEEL LEARNING CENTER
City: Austin
Parking Info:

Parking for SAO, Professional Development courses is in Garage B (1511 San Jacinto Blvd.). The Garage signage may read 1511 San Jacinto or Garage B. The elevator in Garage B is not reliable. If you are unable to walk the stairs, please contact the professionaldevelopment@sao.texas.gov for alternate parking arrangements. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.

A course coordinator will Email you a parking permit prior to the course start date. A permit must be displayed or you will be ticketed.


Course Description

This engaging course will jump-start your auditing career, covering all that newer hires need to know to get off “on the right foot”—including, among other things, ethics, planning audits, collecting and analyzing data, standards and tests of evidence, and report writing. 

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of the auditing profession
  • Understand the importance of the Yellow Book and how it is organized
    • Understand the importance of ethical behavior for auditors
    • Describe the general standards
    • Describe the phases of audits
  • Describe the importance and key steps of audit planning
  • Understand the elements of a finding
  • Write sound audit objectives
  • Collect evidence that meets the Yellow Book tests of evidence
  • Understand the types of evidence
  • Understand frequently used data collection and analysis methodologies
  • Understand critical success factors for conducting interviews
  • Understand the importance of quality control, including indexing and referencing
  • Understand key components of audit reports
  • Apply tools for writing audit reports, e.g., deductive writing style, active voice, etc.
  • Define entrance and exit conferences

Potential CPE Credits: 16.0
Govt Hours: This class meets 16.0 hours of the 24-hour requirement for governmental CPE under Government Auditing Standards (yellow book), in most cases.
Technical Hours: This class meets 16.0 CPE credits of technical training in compliance with Texas Admin. Code Rule 523.102.

Instruction Type: Live
Experience Level: BEGINNING
Category: Auditing

Course Objectives

Overview

Module 1:  Understanding the Importance of Being a Public Servant

Module 2:  Ethics

Upon completion of this module, participants will understand and be able to apply the five ethical principles discussed in the Yellow Book.

Module 3:  Audit Planning

Upon completion of this module, participants will:

·         Understand that planning audits effectively is critical to performing high-impact audits

·         Understand critical components of audit plans, including the objectives, scope, and methodology

Module 4:  Crafting Sound Audit Objectives

Upon completion of this module, participants will: 

·         Understand that audit objectives drive the success of data collection and analysis efforts and ultimately findings, conclusions and recommendations

·         Understand the concepts of “findings”, “conclusions”, and “recommendations”

·         Be able to define the elements of a finding

·         Understand the components of well written objectives

Module 5:  Tests and Types of Evidence

Upon completion of this module, participants will:

·         Understand the “Yellow Book” standards for “tests” and “types” of evidence

·         Understand the strengths and shortcomings of each type of evidence (i.e., physical, documentary, and testimonial)

Module 6:  Collecting Evidence

Upon completion of this module, participants will:

·         Learn that auditors address audit objectives by collecting “evidence”

·         Identify a variety of ways by which auditors typically collect evidence

·         Understand the components of sound questionnaire design

Module 7:  Unstructured Interviews

Upon completion of this module, participants will understand and be able to apply sound interviewing techniques.

Module 8:  Communicating the Results of Audit Work in Writing and Orally

Upon completion of this module, participants will, among other things:

·         Understand the key components of audit reports

·         Be able to apply tools for writing audit reports, e.g., deductive writing, active voice, charge paragraphs and topic sentences

·         Understand the importance of exit conferences

·         Be able to understand and apply tools and techniques for presenting findings orally

Module 9:  Documenting Evidence

Upon completion of this module, participants will, among other things understand what evidence gets documented, audit documentation principles, and components.

Module 10:   Quality Control

Upon completion of this module, participants will, among other things, understand the importance of:

·         Indexing audit evidence

·         Referencing (or fact checking) draft reports

Module 11:  Final Remarks


Instructors

Carole Buncher

Owner of Carole Buncher and Associates: The Competency Company, Ms. Buncher is dedicated to providing role-model, client-focused training and consulting to public and private-sector customers. She has 23 years' distinguished service with US Government Accountability Office (GAO) analyzing public programs and policies, and has provided customer-centered services to the US Department of Transportation, US Government Accountability Office, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Veterans Affairs, US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Energy, State of Delaware, and City of Philadelphia, among others.

Ms. Buncher is a highly motivated, energetic trainer with experience in training thousands of adult students as well as designing, developing and evaluating courses. Ms. Buncher is a principal instructor for GAO's International Fellowship Program and received a faculty excellence award from Graduate School USDA. As owner of Carole Buncher and Associates, Ms. Buncher is frequently sought after to deliver addresses at conferences, including the Association of Government Accountants' regional and national conferences as well as the Midwest and Southeast Intergovernmental Audit Forums.


Additional Information

TAC Rule 523.142(g) requires the CPE Sponsor to monitor individual attendance and assign the correct number of CPE credits. Participants will be asked to document their time of arrival and departure in compliance with this Rule. Additionally, attendance will be monitored throughout the day and CPE certificates will reflect actual attendance of each participant.

If you are making travel plans to come to Austin, we recommend making "refundable" air and hotel reservations or waiting until 14 days before the class to actually book your reservations. Courses are occasionally canceled or rescheduled due to low enrollment. We determine whether a course has enough participants 16 days prior to the course date. If we cancel or reschedule, we will email the participant and his or her billing contact no later than 14 days before the original class date.

The course coordinator will contact you with parking information. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.

Vending machines with Coca-Cola products and various snack items are available. There is also a refrigerator and microwave in our coffee bar area. Feel free to bring in your own drinks and food if you prefer.

You might want to bring a light sweater or jacket, as room temperatures vary.

To see answers to our Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://www.sao.texas.gov/training/faq.html.