Task:
Controls for IT and Reporting & Evaluation
- Imagine you are a controller for a company.
- Identify the internal control reporting options.
- Create criteria against which the options can be evaluated.
- Include internal controls for IT.
Come up with a 5 things wrong with the IT function of a company which would be defined as a control weakness. Come up with a proposed control and then how and when it will be tested.
Here's an example:
Control weakness. Employees have the ability to enter prices that are different from those on the company price list
Proposed control. Employees are restricted by policy from affecting transactions or making changes to the prices when they are entered into the register. However, the system does not prevent the employees from doing this. We must remove these abilities from all of the employees and provide an override whereby managers can approve an amount different from the list price
Proposed test method. On at least a quarterly basis, internal audit will go to each register and attempt to enter prices different from the list price for a selection of items using different employee names. A list of management over-rides will be produced once a month and signed off on by the store manager and the district supervisor. Deviations of greater than 20 percent will be flagged for detailed explanation.