At this point, the resulting file may still be very large. Scanning the file visually for price differences could be time-consuming and ineffective. Here again is an application for a filter. Through a series of pop-up menus, the auditor can easily create a filter that will ignore all records in which Sales Price and Retail Price are equal. The resulting file will thus contain only price discrepancies. Using other ACL features, the auditor can calculate the total price variance and make a determination as to its materiality. If material, this issue would need to be pursued with management.
Testing for Unmatched Records
A variation on the preceding test can be used to address some related issues. By selecting a different join option, the auditor can produce a new file of only unmatched records.
There are two possible causes for unmatched records. The first is because the value of the Item Number field in the Line Item record is incorrect and does not match an Inventory record. Since the operational assumption is that the inventory master file is correct, then any Line Item records in the unmatched file are errors. The presence (or absence) of such errors is evidence that refutes or corroborates the accuracy assertion.
The second source of unmatched records is the Inventory file. The presence of Inventory records in the unmatched file means that there were no corresponding records in the Line Item file. This result is not an error; it means that these products did not sell during the period. After adjusting for any seasonal influences on sales, such evidence may refute the valuation assertion. The auditor may require that the inventory be written down to reflect its market value.