What is the time limit for assembling the final audit file under SA 230?
GradeHunt_TeamGradeHunt Team · · CA Intermediate
For CA Inter Audit, I read that the audit file must be completed within some days of the audit report. Is it 60 days? And can documentation be changed after that?
sa 230audit documentationaudit fileauditing
1 answer
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Yes, ordinarily. SA 230 requires the auditor to complete the administrative process of assembling the final audit file on a timely basis after the date of the auditor's report, and its application guidance says an appropriate time limit is ordinarily not more than 60 days after that date.
What "assembly" means:
- It is an administrative process: deleting superseded working papers, sorting and cross-referencing, signing completion checklists, and filing evidence obtained and agreed with the engagement team before the report date.
- It does NOT involve performing new audit procedures or drawing new conclusions.
After the file is assembled:
- The auditor should not delete or discard documentation before the end of the retention period.
- If documentation has to be modified or new documentation added after assembly, the auditor should document the specific reasons, when the change was made and reviewed, and by whom.
Changes after the date of the report in exceptional cases:
- If, in exceptional circumstances, the auditor performs new or additional audit procedures or draws new conclusions after the date of the report, the auditor documents the circumstances encountered, the procedures performed, the evidence obtained, the conclusions reached and their effect on the report, and when and by whom the resulting changes were made and reviewed.
Exam tip: a case study may describe a junior adding papers months after the report "to complete the file". Your answer should identify SA 230, state the 60-day assembly guidance, and explain what documentation is required for any later change.
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