An external auditor is an independent professional who is hired to examine and evaluate a company’s financial records and operations. The primary goal of an external auditor is to provide assurance to stakeholders that a company’s financial statements are accurate, transparent, and compliant with relevant laws and regulations.
Key responsibilities of an external auditor may include:
- Planning and conducting audits: This involves working with the company to understand its operations and financial systems, developing an audit plan, and executing the audit.
- Examining financial records: This involves reviewing financial statements, such as balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, as well as other financial records and documentation, such as contracts, invoices, and receipts.
- Evaluating internal controls: This involves assessing the effectiveness of the company’s internal controls and making recommendations for improvement.
- Identifying and assessing risk: This involves identifying potential risks to the company’s financial stability and making recommendations for mitigation.
- Communicating findings: This involves preparing written reports of the audit results and communicating findings to the company’s management and stakeholders.
- Staying up to date on industry regulations and standards: This involves keeping abreast of changes in accounting standards and regulations and ensuring that the audit is performed in compliance with these standards and regulations.
External auditors typically work for accounting firms, but may also work for government agencies or in-house for large corporations. The work of an external auditor is typically performed on a project basis and may involve travel to different locations to conduct audits.