How We Work

Independence

Each part of our operations, we ensure that each partner or staff assigned to any client complete and sign a conflict of interest and independence form. Our team members are also required to complete two hours of ethics each year.

Professional Organizations

In addition to our membership with Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG) through our parent company, our staff also benefits from professional development and networking opportunities our parent membership with the following professional organizations, allowing our team to stay abreast of trends and changes in the profession: 

• Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Member, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA)
• Organizational Board Member, International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management (ICGFM)
• AICPA, Governmental Audit Quality Center
• Member, AICPA Peer Review Mechanism
• Registered Provider of Continuing Education, National Association of State Board of Accountants (NASBA)

Use of Technology in Audits

We have developed specific, computerized programs that allow us maximum flexibility in designing our approach at the lowest possible cost. Our team and managers have undergone extensive training on the use of these techniques and relevant applications of these software programs. Our professional team also uses software programs to simplify the routine aspects of fieldwork.

We have incorporated other software into the process to perform analyses or analytical procedures on downloaded client files. These steps help ensure that our team spends its time on substantive matters, not on routine clerical aspects of the work. Further, we use data analytical tools during our investigation, enabling us to detect and investigate instances of fraud in a timely manner.

Below is a list of software that our team can use in collaboration with our US team.

Bespoke Software
Our team has expert-level knowledge and experience in the use of the following bespoke software:

• QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Enterprise
• Sage
• Tally

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software
Our team also have expert knowledge of the following enterprise resource planning software:

• Dynamics
• PeopleSoft
• SAP Business One
• Hyperion
• SAP

Audit Software
During the audit, we use the following audit software, which generates a full set of IFRS-compliant financials with ease as software automates the financial statement preparation process, saving significant amount of preparation time:

• Thompson Reuters
• DRAFTWORX

Our software has the following capabilities:

• Financial templates (IFRS for SME, IFRS + IFRS Consolidation, Body Corporate, Close Corp, Partnership, etc.)
• Management Pack (12 Month Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Actual vs Budget, etc.)
• Working Trial Balance import from several sources, including auto-linking and account allocation
• Drop in and automation of current methodology working papers
• Display of all trial balance accounts linked to a queried cell with drill-down functionality
• Reclassifying linked accounts for current year without affecting comparatives
• Historical tracking, issue/review notes and disclosures, a full annotation system, cell protection and signoffs
• Up-to-date support for major software packages: Sage, QuickBooks, Xero, Caseware, Excel, etc.
• Hot links that allow our auditors to access items such as IFRS and ISA

Audimation-Analytical and Data
Further, we are believers in audimation. A member of our team has a proven record of accomplishment and more than a decade using computer-assisted audit tools, mainly CaseWare IDEA. IDEA synchronizes nicely with Thompson Reuters and DRAFTWORX. IDEA aids investigation capabilities, and allows us to extend our auditing, detect fraud, and meet documentation standards. Further, IDEA supports our data analysis work, enabling us to import data from almost any source, analyze large data sets, report findings using visualization tools, and automate repeatable processes without programming.

Cloud server
We have a state-of-the-art cloud server that allows us to collaborate securely with clients and staff. Each staff member also has a state-of-the-art computer with the same functionality. Our computers, coupled with our cloud server, allow for wireless communication between the audit team. The system is such that audit team members can work on different sections of the audit simultaneously. At the end of the day, the team updates and downloads their completed sections and automatically saves the work to a central file.

Engagement-level Staff Training

Training is an important aspect of our strategy to build a competitive advantage. All our staff are required to meet 40 hours per year in continuing professional education/development. Through continued training, we can better serve our clients and improve the quality of our work product. However, we also understand that universal training alone is not sufficient. Industry-specific software and training on specific standards are required to meet the needs of particular engagements. As a matter of policy and as an innovative best practice, we require team members assigned on a specific engagement to undertake at least a week of training to understand the client, industry, and specific standards involved.