In each of the following, identify which of the elements of the fundamental principles is most applicable. In addition, discuss what action(s) (if any) you believe auditors should take with respect to these issues. (A) An entity has contacted you about performing its audit engagement. You have not previously served a client in the entity’s industry, which has many industry-specific accounting issues that are both technical and complex.
(B) An entity has entered into a number of lease agreements. Based on the requirements of GAAP, you believe that these obligations meet the criteria for being classified as capital leases; however, the entity has elected to treat these leases as operating leases, providing full and complete disclosure of this treatment in the footnotes to the financial statements.
(C) Because of a disagreement with its current auditors, an entity has contacted you about conducting its current-year audit. However, because the previous auditors have just recently resigned from the engagement, you have some questions as to whether an audit can be completed in time to meet the entity’s deadlines for providing audited financial statements to a lender.
(D) Based on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control, you have assessed control risk at low levels and decided that a smaller number of customer accounts need to be confirmed.
(E) An entity has contacted you about performing their audit engagement. This entity became aware of your firm because the husband of one of your partners is currently serving as the entity’s chief financial officer.
(F) One of your clients is currently a potential defendant in several cases because of the damage caused by one of its products. Because this entity does not believe that it is likely to receive an unfavorable outcome from this litigation, it did not disclose the potential litigation in the footnotes accompanying their financial statements.
(G) You are performing tests of the client’s controls over the processing of revenue trans- actions to determine whether these controls are operating effectively and can be relied upon to prevent or detect misstatements.
(H) One of your supervisors has requested a number of clarifications based on her review of your work on an audit engagement. A subsequent meeting with her has resolved these clarifications, and you both have concluded that your work supports the opinion on the client’s financial statements.
The subject for this should be Auditing, however, it was listed.

Auditing

Identification of the elements of the most applicable fundamental principles:

(A) An entity has contacted you about performing its audit engagement. You have not previously served a client in the entity’s industry, which has many industry-specific accounting issues that are both technical and complex.

Professional competence and due care

(B) An entity has entered into a number of lease agreements. Based on the requirements of GAAP, you believe that these obligations meet the criteria for being classified as capital leases; however, the entity has elected to treat these leases as operating leases, providing full and complete disclosure of this treatment in the footnotes to the financial statements.

Fair presentation (truthful and accurate reporting)

(C) Because of a disagreement with its current auditors, an entity has contacted you about conducting its current-year audit. However, because the previous auditors have just recently resigned from the engagement, you have some questions as to whether an audit can be completed in time to meet the entity’s deadlines for providing audited financial statements to a lender.

Professional competence and due care

(D) Based on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control, you have assessed control risk at low levels and decided that a smaller number of customer accounts need to be confirmed.

Due professional care

(E) An entity has contacted you about performing their audit engagement. This entity became aware of your firm because the husband of one of your partners is currently serving as the entity’s chief financial officer.

Independence

(F) One of your clients is currently a potential defendant in several cases because of the damage caused by one of its products. Because this entity does not believe that it is likely to receive an unfavorable outcome from this litigation, it did not disclose the potential litigation in the footnotes accompanying their financial statements.

Fair presentation

(G) You are performing tests of the client’s controls over the processing of revenue transactions to determine whether these controls are operating effectively and can be relied upon to prevent or detect misstatements.

Evidence-based approach (to understanding internal controls)

(H) One of your supervisors has requested a number of clarifications based on her review of your work on an audit engagement. A subsequent meeting with her has resolved these clarifications, and you both have concluded that your work supports the opinion on the client’s financial statements.

Risk-based approach (with regard to review and supervision)

Explanation:

Auditing standards are underpinned by some fundamental principles, including professional integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care, confidentiality, and professional behavior.  According to ISO 19011, auditors should, in addition to observing the fundamental principles, discharge their audit responsibilities using risk-based and evidence-based approaches.  These two approaches enable the auditor to consider all audit risks and make reliable audit conclusions, respectively.