The Scope Paragraph of the Audit Report Graphically Illustrated.

Abstract This article illustrates graphically various aspects of the scope paragraph of the audit report. Firstly, what was examined, that is the scope of the examination is determined by the client before the engagement starts. The client may want only an examination of cash, inventories, receivables, fixed assets, or some combination of these; or he may want a detailed examination of the balance sheet accounts as of the year-end and the related income, expense and surplus ac- counts for the year then ended, as indicated in the quoted paragraph above. Secondly, standards of audit performance. The quality of work performed is referred to here and this quality is determined primarily by the accounting profession through the medium of general acceptance. Finally, amount of work done by auditor. This concerns the amount of work the auditor must do to satisfy himself to render an opinion concerning the financial statements of accounts audited (which is the subject of the opinion paragraph).