ACC 220 Lecture 27: 27 ACC 220 CH 5 (1)

1.    The production manager, Nick Wang, is responsible for initiating orders for inventory. The system sends Nick an email alerting him of the stock falling below 65% of the previous month's usage. He then generates a pre-numbered purchase order (PO). He can also adjust the quantities on the purchase order when he anticipates increases or decreases in sales. The purchase order is then sent to the purchase clerk Ray Kim via email.

2.    For inventory orders, Ray normally sends the purchase orders directly to their approved suppliers. The suppliers will then send Ray a confirmation of items and quantities and an estimated date for the parts to be delivered. When the confirmation is received, Ray will log on his computer, finds the relevant PO initiated by Nick and select the supplier's name on the PO and then click on the box "sent to suppliers".

3.    If a PO cannot be filled by any of the approved suppliers, Ray may look for a new supplier. When he obtains a quote from a new supplier, he passes the quote and the new supplier's information to his manager, Barry Sadler for approval. Once approved, Barry will add the new supplier into the approved supplier list.

4.    Jasmine Lee Ltd requires their suppliers to attach a Delivery Note (DN) with inventory they ordered. DN should have a reference to the relevant PO number and shows the quantities and items being delivered. When a delivery arrives at the warehouse, the warehouse assistant Gordon Scully will reject the delivery if there is no PO on it or the PO number is invalid. Gordon reconciles the DN to the relevant PO on the computer to match items and quantities. Once it is confirmed, Gordon initials and dates one copy of the DN and then passes it to Gary Chen the warehouse manager.

5.    When Gary receives the DN, he logs on to a computer and updates the PO to be "received" and the computer is requested to print a pre-numbered Goods Receiving Report (GRR). The computer retrieves a list of the items ordered from Purchase Order Master file and supplier details in the Supplier Master file to check for accuracy and then prints the GRR. Gary then counts the actual items against the GRR. Once all items are counted and checked, Gary updates the inventory record to reflect the actual items and quantities that have been received. When updating inventory, the computer asks for the relevant PO, if the computer accepts the PO number, it automatically displays the ordered items and quantities and ask Gary to confirm. After Gary updates inventory, the system will generate a journal (Note: the journal posted by the system is to Dr Raw materials inventory; Cr Creditor.). Gary then writes the journal number on the GRR and signs it. The signed GRR together with a copy of DN are left in a tray on the desk of Ray.

6.    If discrepancies are found between the DN and the results from the actual counting, a copy of the GRR and DN will be passed to Ray to contact the suppliers. Inventory will not be updated until the discrepancies are sort out.

7.    Ray receives all supplier invoices. Suppliers include the relevant PO number on their invoices. On receipt of an invoice, Ray agrees the details on supplier's invoice against the relevant PO. If they agree, he sequentially numbers the invoice based on its due date to ensure that it will be paid within discount period. If there are no discrepancies, he prepares a payment requisition for the invoiced amount and forwards the payment requisition, with the invoice attached, to Barry Sadler for authorisation.

8.      Barry signs the payment requisitions to confirm authorisation and forwards the documentation to the banking clerk, Toni Burton who keys the payments into the payment journal (the journal posted by the system is Dr Creditor; Cr Bank). The system generates a journal number which Toni writes on the payment requisition to make sure the account payable balance is updated. Toni files the payment requisitions with the supporting documents.

9.      Toni then loads the payments on the online banking facility with reference to the payment requisition number. Barry must approve and release the payments. The banking system automatically sends electronic transfer records to Barry who subsequently forwards them to Ray. Ray checks it against supplier invoices and then sends a remittance advice to individual suppliers.

Required:

a)      Identity SIX control strengths of the purchases and payments system.

b)     For each control strength, explain what the purpose of the control (i.e what does the control prevent or detect).

You may use the following format to present your answer.                                   

Internal control strengths

Identify a control strength (a)

The purpose of the control (b)

c)      Identity FIVE control weaknesses of the purchases and payments system.

d)     For each control weakness, explain its potential consequence/implication and provide a suggestion for improvement.

You may use the following format to present your answer.                   

Internal control weaknesses

Identify a control weakness (c)

Consequence/Implication and suggestion for improvement (d)

The ABC Company performs its expenditure cycle activities using its integrated  ERP system as follows:  

• Employees in any department can enter purchase requests for items they note as  being either out of stock or in small quantity.  
• The company maintains a perpetual inventory system. 
• Each day, employees in the purchasing department process all purchase requests  from the prior day. To the extent possible, requests for items available from the  same supplier are combined into one larger purchase order in order to obtain  volume discounts. Purchasing agents use the Internet to compare prices in order  to select suppliers. If an Internet search discovers a potential new supplier, the  purchasing agent enters the relevant information in the system, thereby adding  the supplier to the approved supplier list. Purchase orders above $10,000 must  be approved by the purchasing department manager. EDI is used to transmit  purchase orders to most suppliers, but paper purchase orders are printed and  mailed to suppliers who are not EDI capable.  
• Receiving department employees have read-only access to outstanding purchase  orders. Usually, they check the system to verify existence of a purchase order  prior to accepting delivery, but sometimes during rush periods they unload  trucks and place the items in a corner of the warehouse where they sit until there  is time to use the system to retrieve the relevant purchase order. In such cases, if  no purchase order is found, the receiving employee contacts the supplier to  arrange for the goods to be returned.  
• Receiving department employees compare the quantity delivered to the quantity  indicated on the purchase order. Whenever a discrepancy is greater than 5%,  the receiving employee sends an email to the purchasing department manager.  The receiving employee uses an online terminal to enter the quantity received  before moving the material to the inventory stores department.  
• Inventory is stored in a locked room. During normal business hours an  inventory employee allows any employee wearing an identification badge to  enter the storeroom and remove needed items. The inventory storeroom  employee counts the quantity removed and enters that information in an online  terminal located in the storeroom.  
• Occasionally, special items are ordered that are not regularly kept as part of  inventory, from a specialty supplier who will not be used for any regular  purchases. In these cases, an accounts payable clerk creates a one-time supplier  record.  
• All supplier invoices (both regular and one-time) are routed to accounts payable  for review and approval. The system is configured to perform an automatic 3- way match of the supplier invoice with the corresponding purchase order and  receiving report.  
• Each Friday, approved supplier invoices that are due within the next week are  routed to the treasurer’s department for payment. The cashier and treasurer are  the only employees authorized to disburse funds, either by EFT or by printing a  check. Checks are printed on dedicated printer located in the treasurer’s  department, using special stock paper that is stored in a locked cabinet  accessible only to the treasurer and cashier. The paper checks are sent to 

accounts payable to be mailed to suppliers.  

• Monthly, the treasurer reconciles the bank statements and investigates any  discrepancies with recorded cash balances.  

Identify weaknesses in ABC’s expenditure cycle procedures, explain the resulting  problems, and suggest how to correct those problems.  

Weaknesses Recommended Improvements

Solve the following QS and Exercises from your textbook in chapter 8.

QS 8-1

Internal control objectives

An internal control system consists of all policies and procedures used to protect assets, ensure reliable accounting, promote efficient operations, and urge adherence to company policies. Evaluate each of the following statements and indicate which are true and which are false regarding the objectives of an internal control system.

QS 8-2

Cash and equivalents

Choose from the following list of terms/phrases to best complete the following statements.

QS 8-3

Internal control for cash

A good system of internal control for cash provides adequate procedures for protecting both cash receipts and cash disbursements. Identify each of the following statements as either true or false regarding this protection.

QS 8-4

Petty cash accounting

Exercise 8-13^A

Documents in a voucher system

Match each document in a voucher system in column one with its description in column two.

Document

Description

Exercise 8-14^B

Record invoices at gross or net amounts

Piere Imports uses the perpetual system in accounting for merchandise inventory and had the following transactions during the month of October. Prepare entries to record these transactions assuming that Piere Imports records invoices (a) at gross amounts and (b) at net amounts.