Difference Between Internal Audit and External Audit
Internal Audit is one of the sector of an organization that ensures providing independent review and unbiased process of system and also helps to add value and improve organizational value, whereas External Audit is a verification of the financial statements of the company conducted by independent or external auditors so as to certify them in order to ensure the credibility of such financials for investors, lenders and public.
An audit can be defined as objective evaluation and examination of the financial statements of a company or an organization to ensure that the records represent a fair and accurate view of the transactions they claim. The audit can be conducted either internally by the employees of the firm or the organization, or externally by a third party i.e. outside firm. Stating differently, audit alludes to a process of checking, which is independent, of the financial records of the firm or an organization, to opine on the financial statements.
An audit can be grouped into 2 categories, namely, 1) Internal Audit and 2) External Audit. By nature,
- Internal audit is not compulsory, but it can be conducted to review the operational activities of the firm or an organization. In this type of auditing, the work area is determined by the entity’s management.
- On the contrary, external audit that is obligatory for every organization or every separate legal entity, where a third party is brought to the firm to perform the work and the process of Audit and to give its opinion on the Financial Statements of the company and here the working scope will be determined by the respective statute.
The auditing process of the two types of the audit is almost similar and that’s the reason why people often get confused between these two. In this article, we look at the differences between Internal and External Audit in detail –
Internal Audit vs External Audit Infographics
Key Differences
The key differences are as follows –
- Internal Audit is a constant or continuous audit activity which is performed by the internal audit department of the firm or an organization. External Audit, on the other hand, is an examination and evaluation by the third or the independent body, of the annual statements of accounts of the organization or an entity to give an opinion thereon.
- Internal audit is discretionary which means there is no compulsion for the same, but the external audit is compulsory.
- The internal audit report will be submitted to the management. However, the external audit report will be handed over to the major stakeholders such as the shareholders, creditors, debenture holders, suppliers, the government, etc.
- Internal audit is ongoing and a continuous process while the external audit is conducted on an annual basis.
- The key purpose of the internal audit is reviewing the routine processes of the business and give suggestions for its improvement wherever required. Conversely, an external audit will aim at analyzing and verifying the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of the financial statement.
- Internal audit will provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the operational process or the activities of the firm or an organization. On the other hand, an external audit does provide an opinion of the true and fair view of the financial statements.
- Internal auditors are the employees of the firm or an organization as they are appointed by the management of the company itself, whereas external auditors are not the employees, they are appointed by the shareholders or the members of the company.
Internal vs External Audit Comparative Table
| Basis | Internal audit | External audit | ||||
| Definition | Internal audits will evaluate the firm’s internal controls which include its accounting process and corporate governance. They will ensure compliance with the laws and regulations and will also make sure accurate and timely financial reporting and data collection, as well as aiding to maintain the operational efficiency by identifying the issues and correcting the lapses before they could be discovered in an external audit. | External audit purpose is to determine whether the firm or an organization is providing a fair, complete and accurate representation of its financial position by examining all the information that is available such as bookkeeping records, bank balances, and financial transactions. | ||||
| Objective | The key objective is to review the routine process and the activities and further provide suggestions wherever there is scope for improvement. | Here the vital objective is to analyze and verify the financial statements of the firm or the company. | ||||
| Who conducts it | It is conducted by the internal employees of the company (internal audit department). | It will be conducted by a third party. | ||||
| Scope | The scope will be decided by the management of the company or the entity. | The Scope here will be decided by the relevant authority or the statute. | ||||
| Reporting responsibilities | Internal audit must be independent of the management of the company and to report functionally (directly) to the board which is normally through the audit committee. | External auditors are responsible to the shareholders of the company or, in the public sector, they are ultimately responsible for a legislative body such as the Parliament. They are nowhere responsible for the management of the company or the body that is being audited and the management does not direct the extent and scope of their work. | ||||
| Users of the Audit Reports | Management is the one that mainly uses the audit report to identify loopholes before that gets captured and reported in the external audit. | The members, shareholders, the public at large, etc. are some of the stakeholders that use external audit reports. | ||||
Conclusion
External audits and internal audits are not opposed to each other. Rather, they complement one another. External Auditor may use the work that is conducted in the internal audit if he thinks fit, but it will not reduce the scope and the responsibility of the external auditor. Internal Audit acts as a check on the process and the activities of the business and aids by advising on different matters to gain operational efficiency.
On the contrary, an external audit is totally independent in which the third party is brought to the firm to carry out the procedure. It checks the accuracy, completeness, and validity of the annual account, of the firm.
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