The concepts in auditing inventory cost accounting are not different from those discussed for other transaction cycles. The auditor is concerned with the four aspects of cost accounting shown above.
The auditor’s tests of physical controls over raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods are limited to observation and inquiry.
The auditor’s primary concerns in verifying the transfer of inventory from one location to another are that recorded transfers exist, all actual transfers are recorded and the quantity description an date of all recorded transfers are accurate.
The reliability of perpetual master files affects the timing and extent of the auditor’s physical examination of inventory. When perpetuals are accurate, auditors can test the physical inventory before the balance sheet date.
Accurate cost data for raw materials, direct labor and manufacturing overhead is essential for fairly stated raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods inventories.