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Reporting and completion

Access practical resources on auditor reporting and completion to help understand auditors’ responsibilities in this area and the requirements of International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). These resources include practical guides and articles on audit reports, and other helpsheets to help deal with the challenges that may arise.

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ICAEW resources

How to report on irregularities, including fraud, in the auditor’s report - Guide for auditors reporting for the first time
  • Helpsheets and support
  • Apr 2021
For periods commencing on or after 15 December 2019, all auditors (where ISAs (UK) apply) are required to explain in the auditor’s report the extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud. This guide from ICAEW’s Audit and Assurance Faculty provides practical considerations for auditors who are required to report on irregularities, including fraud, for the first time.
Auditor’s reports: can auditors use an electronic signature?
  • Article
  • Jul 2020
  • ICAEW Insights
Among the many challenges for auditors still working from home during the COVID-19 crisis is the act of signing auditor’s reports on financial statements.
Exclusive Duty to report to the charity regulator(s)
  • Helpsheets and support
  • Jul 2019
  • Technical Advisory Services
Helpsheet highlighting the circumstances in which charity independent examiners, auditors and trustees have a duty to report serious issues, including fraud, governance failures, or legal breaches, to the charity regulators.
Exclusive Audit reports - going concern
  • Helpsheets and support
  • Sep 2018
  • Technical Advisory Services
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand the International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) requirements in relation to going concern and the impact the various different situations have on the auditor’s report.
Exclusive Audit reports – modified opinions, emphasis of matter and other matter paragraphs
  • Helpsheets and support
  • Sep 2018
  • Technical Advisory Services
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members to identify the various changes that may need to be made to audit reports under International Standards of Auditing (UK) where there is a modified opinion, emphasis of matter or other matter paragraph.
The Audit Report and Auditors Duty of Care to Third Parties - Revised (TECH 01/03 AAF)
  • Technical release
  • May 2018
  • PDF (561kb)
  • Audit and Assurance Faculty
Guidance for auditors on the audit report. Updated in May 2018, it assists auditors in managing the risk of inadvertently assuming a duty of care to third parties in relation to their audit reports.
Exclusive Audit reports - overview
  • Helpsheets and support
  • Jun 2017
  • Technical Advisory Services
Technical helpsheet issued to help ICAEW members understand the key changes to the audit reports for periods beginning on or after 17 June 2016 under International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)).

Bloomsbury Accounting and Tax Service

Eligible firms have free access to Bloomsbury Professional's comprehensive online library, comprising around 80 titles from some of the country's leading tax and accounting subject matter experts. Find out who is eligible and how you can access the Accounting and Tax Service.

Exclusive Completing the audit and reporting
  • eBook chapter
  • 2025
  • Steve Collings
  • Practical Guide to UK Accounting and Auditing Standards
A chapter on the completion phase of an audit. Covers subsequent events, going concern, written representations, audit finalisation and review, evaluation of uncorrected misstatements, and reporting.
Exclusive Illustrative auditor’s report (small entity reporting under UK and Ireland GAAP with material going concern uncertainties)
  • eBook chapter
  • 2025
  • Steve Collings
  • Practical Guide to UK Accounting and Auditing Standards
A pro forma auditor’s report for a small entity reporting under UK and Ireland GAAP, with material going concern uncertainties. It demonstrates the use of a ‘Material Uncertainty Related to Going Concern’ paragraph, in line with the requirements of ISA (UK) 570.
Exclusive The modified auditor’s opinion
  • eBook chapter
  • 2024
  • Steve Collings
  • An Auditors Guide to Auditing Financial Statements in the UK
A chapter providing guidance on when and how to form and report a modified audit opinion. Covers assessments of materiality and pervasiveness, qualified and adverse opinions, disclaimers of opinion and going concern considerations.
Exclusive Audit completion
  • eBook chapter
  • 2024
  • Steve Collings
  • An Auditors Guide to Auditing Financial Statements in the UK
A chapter on the completion side of the audit and the formation of the auditor’s opinion. Covers the evaluation of misstatements, final analytical review, subsequent events, going concern, opening balances, comparative information, and corresponding figures.
Exclusive The unmodified auditor’s opinion
  • eBook chapter
  • 2024
  • Steve Collings
  • An Auditors Guide to Auditing Financial Statements in the UK
A chapter providing guidance on the content and wording of the auditor’s report under ISAs (UK), in cases where the auditor expresses an unmodified opinion. Covers topics including the Emphasis of Matter and Other Matter paragraphs, other information, material uncertainties related to going concern, Key Audit Matters and limitations on auditor liability.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the Acceptable usage terms.

eBooks

The Library & Information Service provides a collection of eBooks as a benefit of membership. Please log in to access these titles. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support or contact library@icaew.com.

Exclusive The modified auditor’s opinion
  • eBook chapter
  • 2024
  • Steve Collings
  • An Auditors Guide to Auditing Financial Statements in the UK
A chapter providing guidance on when and how to form and report a modified audit opinion. Covers assessments of materiality and pervasiveness, qualified and adverse opinions, disclaimers of opinion and going concern considerations.
Exclusive The unmodified auditor’s opinion
  • eBook chapter
  • 2024
  • Steve Collings
  • An Auditors Guide to Auditing Financial Statements in the UK
A chapter providing guidance on the content and wording of the auditor’s report under ISAs (UK), in cases where the auditor expresses an unmodified opinion. Covers topics including the Emphasis of Matter and Other Matter paragraphs, other information, material uncertainties related to going concern, Key Audit Matters and limitations on auditor liability.
Exclusive Audit completion
  • eBook chapter
  • 2024
  • Steve Collings
  • An Auditors Guide to Auditing Financial Statements in the UK
A chapter on the completion side of the audit and the formation of the auditor's opinion. Covers the evaluation of misstatements, final analytical review, subsequent events, going concern, opening balances, comparative information, and corresponding figures.
Exclusive Disclaimers and exclusions of liability
  • eBook chapter
  • 2021
  • Simon Salzedo, Tony Singla
  • Accountants Negligence and Liability
A chapter on the ways in which accountants may manage the extent of any potential liability that they might incur to their clients or to third parties. It covers the use of disclaimers in reports, the production of ‘hold harmless’ letters, the incorporation of exclusion or limitation clauses in engagement letters, and more.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

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Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.