Basic Audit Staff Training: Auditing Internal Controls
Author: Robert K Minniti
| CPE Credit: |
2 hours for CPAs |
This course provides new and developing auditors with a comprehensive, practical understanding of internal controls and their critical role in the audit process. Participants will learn how to evaluate control environments, perform walkthroughs, identify risks, and design tests of controls in alignment with U.S. GAAS, PCAOB standards, and the COSO Framework.
Through real-world examples and clear step by step guidance, the course explores how internal control testing supports professional skepticism, improves audit quality, and directly influences the nature, timing, and extent of substantive procedures. Attendees will examine control deficiencies, fraud risks, common breakdowns, and documentation expectations to strengthen both audit performance and communication with clients.
By the end of this training, participants will be equipped to conduct effective, well documented internal control evaluations and contribute meaningfully to risk assessment and audit planning.
Publication Date: March 2026
Designed For
This course is designed for early‑career auditors and professionals seeking foundational internal control training.
Topics Covered
- Overview of internal controls and the COSO Framework
- Control environment, risk assessment, and control activity evaluation
- Walkthroughs: purpose, techniques, and documentation best practices
- Designing and executing tests of controls
- Identifying and evaluating internal control deficiencies
- Fraud risks and common control weaknesses
- Linking internal control testing to substantive procedures
- Case studies for new audit staff: practical examples
Learning Objectives
- Explain the purpose and importance of internal controls within financial reporting and the audit process
- Apply the COSO Framework to evaluate control environments, risk assessments, and control activities
- Implement walkthroughs to understand processes, identify key controls, and document workflows effectively
- Design and execute tests of controls to assess operating effectiveness and determine reliance on controls
- Identify, evaluate, and communicate internal control deficiencies, including significant deficiencies and material weaknesses
- Explain how control testing influences substantive audit procedures and overall audit strategy
Level
Basic
Instructional Method
Self-Study
NASBA Field of Study
Auditing (2 hours)
Program Prerequisites
None
Advance Preparation
None
