You are the Auditor-in-Charge assigned to conduct an assurance engagement of the BFF Corp's payroll process. This process hasn't been audited for three years. There have been no significant changes since the previous audit: there were no system changes, no reorganization of personnel, and no substantive procedural changes. However, during the latest audit, internal audit identified several observations, some of which were considered significant. The significant observations were:
Information pertaining to employees leaving the company was not communicated to the IT department, resulting in extensive delays before those employee's system rights were terminated.
Hours paid to non-exempt employees were not supported by an approved time sheet.
Accounts withheld for employees were not consistent with elections made by employees.
The possibility existed that phantom employees could be included in the payroll without detection.
Payroll management implemented actions to address all significant observations, and IA conducted limited follow-up procedures to validate that the planned actions were completed. This is the first audit since the follow-up procedures were completed.
The following is pertinent information to the payroll audit:
BFF employs over 4,400 employees. Approximately 2,700 of those employees are salaried, the rest are hourly.
Employees are paid bi-weekly.
Hourly employees earn pay at straight-time for the first 80 hours in bi-weekly pay period, time-and-a-half for the next 20 hours in a pay period and double time for any hours exceeding 20 hours in a pay period.
The company utilizes a widely used and market tested payroll package for processing of all payroll transactions.
The payroll system interfaces with the general ledger system.
BFF has established a separate payroll imprest account for the processing of payroll checks. Amounts are deposited in this account from the general account to cover any checks presented against the imprest account each day.
Certain non-payroll items are deducted from the payroll checks, including the following:
Employee loans to cover the cost of extra benefits or product purchases.
Contributions to long-term retirement plans.
Contributions to charitable organizations.
Contributions to Political Action Committees
Payroll expenses and related payroll accruals are considered material to the company.
II. Identifying process risks
Create a list of potential risk scenarios for each objective. Include a minimum of 8 risks in total. (Label each risk with a reference number/letter for step III below).
III. Risk assessment
Based on the identified risk scenarios, define the key payroll risks and assess the risks.
Your will need to make assumptions regarding impact and likelihood for this assessment.
Document your assumptions about the payroll system and other relevant information that would allow the audit manager to review your work.
Optional work: Create a flowchart for your payroll system. Refer to the exhibits in the textbook as to symbols and structure for what a similar process flowchart may look like. You do not need to submit this document, but It could help me to better understand your payroll system as well as helping you to document the various steps involved in a payroll process, its related risks and control activities.