Testing Physical Controls.Inadequate segregation of duties and the lack of effective supervision and independent verification can result in fraud and material errors. The exposure issues here are similar to the access control issues discussed earlier. In appropriate access privileges are often associated with incompatible duties. Similarly, the purpose of collusion is to achieve unauthorized access to assets as well as the information needed to conceal the crime. In the absence of supervision and independent verification activities,errors and fraud may go undetected.
The auditor’s review of job descriptions and organizational charts, and by observing physical processes, should disclose the more egregious examples of incompatible tasks,such as one individual opening the mail, depositing the check, and recording receipts in the customer accounts. Covert relationships that lead to collusion may not be apparent from an organizational chart. For example, married employees (or those otherwise related) who work in incompatible areas go unnoticed. The auditor should verify that the organization has rules for appropriately dealing with nepotism issues.
Many tasks that are normally segregated in manual systems are consolidated in the data-processing function of computer-based systems. Computer programs in the revenue cycle perform inventory control, accounts receivable, billing, and general ledger tasks. In this situation, the auditor’s concern should focus on the integrity of the computer programs that perform these tasks. The following questions need answers: Is the logic of the computer program correct? Has anyone tampered with the application since it was last tested? Have changes been made to the program that could have caused an undisclosed error?
Answers to these questions come from the auditor’s review of systems development and maintenance controls and by reviewing organizational structure. Recall from earlier chapters that duties pertaining to the design, maintenance, and operation of computer programs need to be separated. Programmers who write the original computer programs should not be responsible for making program changes. Also, individuals who operate the computer system should not be involved in systems design, programming, or maintenance activities. Personal relationships (i.e., marriage) between individuals in these incompatible areas may require further investigation.