Financial auditing  refers to an accounting process applied in business. The process involves using an individual body for evaluating the financial transactions and statements of a business. The ultimate purpose of financial audit is presenting an accurate amount of the business transactions of a company. Besides, it ensures that the accounts presented to the public and shareholders are accurate and justified. The results of financial audit are useful for banks, shareholders, and anybody else with an interest in the company.

Every business keeps records of its operations and transactions, and accountants take this information to produce four basic  financial  statements: a profit and loss statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and statement of changes in owners' equity.

The purpose of a  financial  statement  audit  is to add credibility to the reported  financial  position and performance of a business.

Basic Procedures for a Financial Audit

Generally, four key phases are outlined for financial audit process. These phases include planning the audit, determining the working of internal control, testing significant assertions about the data and evaluating compliance, and reporting the evaluations.

These phases are explained below for your reference:

Planning

The process of financial audit begins with a plan that involves the method of collecting data to form an opinion about the organization or company's financial status. A way is planned to collect a sample reflecting a point in time in the life of the company or organization. The financial transactions and documents are then looked at. It is noteworthy that the sample should show compliance with GAAP.

Internal controls

The next step involves giving a look at the internal controls. The auditor demands info, looks closely at the records, and watches financial procedures in action. Without these steps, the auditor cannot give a statement about the financial status of the organization.

Testing

Testing implies checking whether the internal controls are working or not. An auditor requests more info, returns to the company for more inspections, and watches how financial procedures are being performed. If the evidence demonstrates GAAP compliance, the auditor determines that the company successfully detects and prevents the errors.

Reporting

The final step in financial audit involves giving a conclusion on how the company adheres to accounting standards. The audit from a CPA gives the organization an unqualified approval, a qualified approval, a disclaimer, or an adverse finding. The unqualified approval is considered as the best result and the adverse finding is considered to be the worst result. 

In a job description, a  financial auditor  evaluates companies'  financial  statements, documentation, accounting entries, and data. They may gather information from the company's reporting systems, balance sheets, tax returns, control systems, income documents, invoices, billing procedures, and account balances.