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Government Auditing Standards
The Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), commonly referred to as the "Yellow Book", are produced in the United States by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The standards apply to both financial and performance audits of government agencies. Five general standards are included: * Independence * Due care * Continuing professional education (CPE) 80 hours every 2 years, 24 hours directly related to government auditing * Supervision * Quality control Quality control (QC) is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. ISO 9000 defines quality control as "a part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements". This approach plac ... The Yellow Book standards are used by auditors who examine the federal government, including the Government Accountability Office, various offices of inspectors general, and others. Many local government performance auditors also use the yellow book sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous states border Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, with the semi-exclave of Alaska in the northwest and the archipelago of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The United States asserts sovereignty over five Territories of the United States, major island territories and United States Minor Outlying Islands, various uninhabited islands in Oceania and the Caribbean. It is a megadiverse country, with the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, third-largest land area and List of countries and dependencies by population, third-largest population, exceeding 340 million. Its three Metropolitan statistical areas by population, largest metropolitan areas are New York metropolitan area, New York, Greater Los Angeles, Los Angel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Government Accountability Office
The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan government agency within the legislative branch that provides auditing, evaluative, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the supreme audit institution of the federal government of the United States. It identifies its core "mission values" as: accountability, integrity, and reliability. It is also known as the "congressional watchdog". The agency is headed by the Comptroller General of the United States. The comptroller general is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. When a vacancy occurs in the office of the comptroller general, Congress establishes a commission to recommend individuals to the president. The commission consists of the following: *the speaker of the United States House of Representatives *the president pro tempore of the United States Senate *the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Financial Audit
A financial audit is conducted to provide an opinion whether "financial statements" (the information is verified to the extent of reasonable assurance granted) are stated in accordance with specified criteria. Normally, the criteria are international accounting standards, although auditors may conduct audits of financial statements prepared using the cash basis or some other basis of accounting appropriate for the organization. In providing an opinion whether financial statements are fairly stated in accordance with accounting standards, the auditor gathers evidence to determine whether the statements contain material errors or other misstatements.Arens, Elder, Beasley; Auditing and Assurance Services; 14th Edition; Prentice Hall; 2012 Overview The audit opinion is intended to provide reasonable assurance, but not absolute assurance, that the financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, and/or give a true and fair view in accordance with the financial rep ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Performance Audit
Performance audit refers to an independent examination of a program, function, operation or the management systems and procedures of a governmental or non-profit entity to assess whether the entity is achieving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the employment of available resources.Performance Auditing Definition (Feb 2014INTOSAI and GAO/ref> The examination is objective and systematic, generally using structured and professionally adopted methodologies. In most countries, performance audits of governmental activities are carried out by the external audit bodies at federal or state level. Many of these audit bodies have established guides for conducting performance audits which explain how performance audits are planned, conducted and its results reported. INTOSAI, the International Association of Supreme Audit Institutions, has published generally accepted principles of performance auditing in its implementation guidelines. In the United States, the standard for governmen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Government Agency
A government agency or state agency, sometimes an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government (bureaucracy) that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an Administration (government), administration. There is a notable variety of agency types. Although usage differs, a government agency is normally distinct both from a department or Ministry (government department), ministry, and other types of public body established by government. The functions of an agency are normally executive in character since different types of organizations (''such as commissions'') are most often constituted in an advisory role — this distinction is often blurred in practice however, it is not allowed. A government agency may be established by either a national government or a state government within a federal system. Agencies can be established by legislation or by executive powers. The autonomy, indep ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Internal Audit
Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal auditing might achieve this goal by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. Professionals called internal auditors are employed by organizations to perform the internal auditing activity. The scope of internal auditing within an organization may be broad and may involve topics such as an organization's governance, risk management and management controls over: efficiency/effectiveness of operations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Due Care
Due diligence is the investigation or exercise of care that a reasonable business or person is normally expected to take before entering into an agreement or contract with another party or an act with a certain standard of care. Due diligence can be a legal obligation, but the term more commonly applies to voluntary investigations. It may also offer a defence against legal action. A common example of due diligence is the process through which a potential acquirer evaluates a target company or its assets in advance of a merger or acquisition. The theory behind due diligence holds that performing this type of investigation contributes significantly to informed decision making by enhancing the amount and quality of information available to decision makers and by ensuring that this information is systematically used to deliberate on the decision at hand and all its costs, benefits, and risks. Development of the term The term "due diligence" can be read as "required carefulness" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Continuing Professional Education
Professional development, also known as professional education, is learning that leads to or emphasizes education in a specific professional career field or builds practical job applicable skills emphasizing praxis in addition to the transferable skills and theoretical academic knowledge found in traditional liberal arts and pure sciences education. It is used to earn or maintain professional credentials such as professional certifications or academic degrees through formal coursework at institutions known as professional schools, or attending conferences and informal learning opportunities to strengthen or gain new skills. Professional education has been described as intensive and collaborative, ideally incorporating an evaluative stage.Speck, M. & Knipe, C. (2005) ''Why can't we get it right? Designing high-quality professional development for standards-based schools''(2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press There is a variety of approaches to professional development or profess ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Supervisor
A supervisor, or lead, (also known as foreman, boss, overseer, facilitator, monitor, area coordinator, line-manager or sometimes gaffer) is the job title of a lower-level management position and role that is primarily based on authority over laborer, workers or a workplace. A supervisor can also be one of the most senior on the employees at a place of work, such as a professor who oversees a Ph.D. dissertation. Supervision, on the other hand, can be performed by people without this formal title, for example by parents. The term supervisor itself can be used to refer to any personnel who have this task as part of their job description. An employee is a supervisor if they have the power and authority to do the following actions (according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour): # Give instructions and/or orders to subordinates. # Be held responsible for the work and actions of other employees. If an employee cannot do the above, legally, they are most likely not a supervisor, but in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quality Control
Quality control (QC) is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. ISO 9000 defines quality control as "a part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements". This approach places emphasis on three aspects (enshrined in standards such as ISO 9001): # Elements such as controls, job management, defined and well managed processes, performance and integrity criteria, and identification of records # Competence, such as knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications # Soft elements, such as personnel, integrity, confidence, organizational culture, motivation, team spirit, and quality relationships. Inspection is a major component of quality control, where physical product is examined visually (or the end results of a service are analyzed). Product inspectors will be provided with lists and descriptions of unacceptable product defects such as cracks or surface blemishes for example. History and introductio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CPA Canada
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) () is the national organization representing the Canadian accounting profession through the unification of the three largest accounting organizations: the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), the Society of Management Accountants of Canada (CMA Canada) and Certified General Accountants of Canada (CGA-Canada), as well as the 40 national and provincial accounting bodies. It is one of the largest organizations of its type in the world, with over 217,000 Chartered Professional Accountants in Canada and around the world. CPA Canada conducts research on business issues, supports the setting of accounting, auditing and assurance standards for business, non-profits and government, issues guidance and leadership connected to accounting, auditing, assurance and financial literacy, and generally supports the profession of accounting in Canada. History Historically, Canada had three nationally recognized accounti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
