"Using the Work of Another Auditor” is a critical area in the audit of entities having branches or components audited by auditors other than the…

Using the Work of another Auditor: When the accounts of the branch are audited by a person other than the company's auditor (or principal auditor), there is need for a clear understanding of the role of such other auditor and the company's auditor in relation to the audit of the accounts of the branch and the audit of the company as a whole; also, there is great necessity for a proper rapport between these two auditors for the purpose of an effective audit. In recognition of these needs, the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has dealt with these issues in SA 600, “Using the Work of another Auditor". It makes clear that in certain situations, the statute governing the entity may confer a right on the principal auditor to visit a component and examine the books of account and other records of the said component, if he thinks it necessary to do so. Where another auditor has been appointed for the component, the principal auditor would normally be entitled to rely upon the work of such auditor unless there are special circumstances to make it essential for him to visit the component and/or to examine the books of account and other records of the said component. Further, it requires that the principal auditor should perform procedures to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence, that the work of the other auditor is adequate for the principal auditor's purposes, in the context of the specific assignment. When using the work of another auditor, the principal auditor should ordinarily perform the following procedures: (a) advise the other auditor of the use that is to be made of the other auditor's work and report and make sufficient arrangements for co-ordination of their efforts at the planning stage of the audit. The principal auditor would inform the other auditor of matters such as are as requiring special consideration, procedures for the identification of inter-component transactions that may require disclosure and the time-table for completion of audit; and (b) advise the other auditor of the significant accounting, auditing and reporting requirements and obtain representation as to compliance with them. The principal auditor might discuss with the other auditor the audit procedures applied or review a written summary of the other auditor's procedures and findings which may be in the form of a completed questionnaire or check-list. The principal auditor may also wish to visit the other auditor. The nature, timing and extent of procedures will depend on the circumstances of the engagement and the principal auditor's knowledge of the professional competence of the other auditor. This knowledge may have been enhanced from the review of the previous audit work of the other auditor.