Introduction
The programme “Using Artificial Intelligence in Financial Auditing” develops professional practice in Accounting. It connects the subject with workplace challenges by examining existing evidence and practices and choosing methods appropriate to the organization and its available resources.
The learning progresses from risk-based auditing and evidence gathering to cash, liquidity, and working capital management, with practical work on the accounting cycle, closing, and record quality, artificial intelligence applications and controls, financial statement and report analysis. Participants prepare outputs to support workplace application and review the quality and results of implementation.
Learning objectives
- Design an audit engagement connecting risks, objectives, tests, and evidence in an application related to “Using Artificial Intelligence in Financial Auditing”.
- Process an accounting cycle and prepare adjustments supported by traceable documents.
- Design an AI use case with verification criteria and human review.
- Interpret performance, financial position, and cash flows using documented analysis with clear limitations.
- Prepare a cash forecast and options for addressing liquidity and working capital gaps.
Learning areas
1. Risk-Based Auditing and Evidence Gathering
- Define the engagement subject, objectives, scope, and assessment criteria, and develop an initial understanding of the process and its main risks.
- Assess control design and suitability for the objectives, and select tests and samples proportionate to risk levels and available data.
- Collect sufficient, appropriate evidence, document sources and verification procedures, and maintain independence, objectivity, and information confidentiality.
- Write a finding connecting the criterion, condition, cause, and effect, and discuss the response and agreed action with the relevant party.
- Prepare a clear report and action follow-up plan, applying current professional requirements relevant to the audit type and work environment. The application examines a case related to “Using Artificial Intelligence in Financial Auditing”.
2. The Accounting Cycle, Closing, and Record Quality
- Trace a transaction from source document to journal entry, general ledger, and trial balance, identifying control points and approval responsibilities.
- Analyze transactions and classify accounts by their nature, checking completeness, cutoff, and correct accounting treatment.
- Prepare accounting adjustments and supporting reconciliations, documenting differences, their causes, and the parties responsible for resolving them.
- Review recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements under the applicable accounting framework without assuming uniform requirements across countries.
- Organize the closing file with supporting documents, a timetable, and approval reviews, and prepare a register of matters requiring professional judgment.
3. Artificial Intelligence Applications and Controls
- Identify a task that AI can support, and separate inputs and human decisions from outputs produced by the tool.
- Prepare suitable test data and examples while respecting confidentiality, privacy, and permissions, and use de-identified training exercise data.
- Write clear instructions covering the task, context, constraints, and output format, and compare multiple formulations using a fixed set of examples.
- Check outputs for errors, bias, and unsupported information, and identify cases that require specialist review.
- Assess the feasibility of use in terms of quality, time, cost, and risk, and document controls for approval, monitoring, and stopping when failures occur.
4. Financial Statement and Report Analysis
- Read the relationships between the statements of financial position, performance, and cash flows and the notes, identifying the effects of accounting policies and estimates.
- Perform horizontal and vertical analysis and compare profitability, liquidity, efficiency, and leverage indicators, considering the nature and size of the business.
- Examine earnings quality, cash flows, and nonrecurring items, and identify differences between accounting results and actual liquidity.
- Test the sensitivity of results to changes in sales, costs, collections, and financing, stating the assumptions and constraints in each scenario.
- Write a financial report linking indicators to management's question and available alternatives, presenting risks and additional data needed for the decision.
5. Cash, Liquidity, and Working Capital Management
- Analyze the cash cycle from purchasing to collection, identifying the effects of inventory, receivables, and payment terms on financing needs.
- Forecast receipts and payments by maturity, and document data sources and the likelihood of delays in expected cash flows.
- Classify receivables and debt aging, track collections and settlements, and connect follow-up actions to approved authorities and policies.
- Compare options for addressing deficits or deploying surpluses according to cost, liquidity, risk, and contractual constraints requiring review.
- Test a cash stress scenario, set alert thresholds and escalation actions, and update forecasts based on actual results.
Practical outputs
- An audit engagement program, working papers, and an actionable finding.
- An accounting closing file, adjustments, and a record quality checklist.
- A use case brief and a test template for the quality of AI outputs.
- A comparative financial analysis report and a memo of findings and assumptions.
- A cash flow forecast and a plan to improve collections and the cash conversion cycle.
Who should attend
- Practitioners, specialists and supervisors whose work relates to the programme subject.
- Managers and teams working in accounting, according to their practical responsibilities.
- Professionals responsible for applying the outputs of “Using Artificial Intelligence in Financial Auditing” within their organizations.
Prerequisites
- Working familiarity with the programme field and the ability to discuss a professional case or challenge.
- Confirm the suitability of your experience and any specialist prerequisites with the Union before participation.
Conclusion
The programme “Using Artificial Intelligence in Financial Auditing” brings together concepts, case review and a practical application. Participants prepare steps that can be adapted to their responsibilities and organizational resources, with an indicator to follow application and review results after returning to work.
Participation arrangements and any special requests are specified in the confirmation issued by the Union.