1 chapter 4 the revenue cycle copyright © 2007 thomson south-western, a part of the thomson...
TRANSCRIPT
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Chapter 4
The Revenue
Cycle
COPYRIGHT © 2007 Thomson South-Western, a part of The Thomson Corporation. Thomson, the Star logo, and South-
Western are trademarks used herein under license
Objectives for Chapter 4 Tasks performed in the revenue cycle, regardless
of whether manual or computerized Functional departments in the revenue cycle and
the flow of revenue transactions through the organization
Documents, journals, and accounts needed for audit trails, the maintenance of records, decision making, and financial reporting
Risks associated with the revenue cycle and the controls that reduce these risks
The operational and control implications of technology used to automate and reengineer the revenue cycle
REVENUE CYCLE(SUBSYSTEMS)
Sales Order
Billing/ AccountsReceivable
Cash Receipts/Collections
Shipping
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4/5
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Credit / CustomerService
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Customer Purchase Order
Customer Purchase Order
Start here.Start here.
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Revenue Cycle (Subsystem) Databases
Master files Customer master file Accounts Receivable
master file Inventory master file
Transaction Files Sales Order transaction
file Open Sales Order
transaction file Sales Invoice
transaction file Cash Receipts
transaction file
Other Files Tax Details reference file Shipping and Price Data
reference file Credit reference file Sales history file Cash Receipts history file
Manual Sales Order Processing – Sales & Credit Departments
Begins with customer placing order Sales department captures essential
details on sales order form.Transaction is authorized by credit
department; returned to Sales Dept.Sales information is released to:
Billing Warehouse Shipping
See next slide for flowchart
See next slide for flowchart
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Merchandise is picked from Warehouse and sent to Shipping, with SO.
Memo to Inventory Control. Other SO filed in Warehouse.
Manual Sales Order Processing - Warehouse
See next slide for flowchart
(yellow symbols)
See next slide for flowchart
(yellow symbols)
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Manual Sales Order Processing - Shipping
Shipping reconciles merchandise received from Warehouse with sales information on packing slip.
Merchandise, packing slip (PS), and bill of lading (BOL) are prepared by Shipping and sent to Customer.
Copy of BOL and SO are filed in Shipping.
See next slide for flowchart
See next slide for flowchart
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Manual Sales Order Processing – Billing
Shipping information is also sent to Billing. Billing compiles and reconciles relevant facts and issues invoice to Customer and updates sales journal.
See next slide for flowchart
(blue symbols)
See next slide for flowchart
(blue symbols)
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A/R records information in customer’s account in accounts receivable subsidiary ledger and files invoice.
Manual Sales Order Processing – Accounts Receivable
See next slide for flowchart
(purple symbols)
See next slide for flowchart
(purple symbols)
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Manual Sales Order Processing – Inventory Control
Inventory Control adjusts inventory subsidiary ledger and files Memo.
See next slide for flowchart
See next slide for flowchart
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Manual Sales Order Processing – General Ledger (not flowcharted)
Billing, A/R, and Inventory Control submits summary information to General Ledger dept., which then reconciles data and posts to control accounts in G/L.
Manual Cash Receipts Processes – Mail Room & Cash ReceiptsCustomer checks and remittance advices are
received in the Mail Room. A mail room clerk prepares a list of checks (Cash
Prelist) and sends the prelist and the checks to Cash Receipts.
The Remittance Advices are sent to A/R.Cash Receipts:
verifies the accuracy and completeness of the checks
updates the cash receipts journal prepares a deposit slip, which is sent to Bank with
checks files Prelist by date prepares a journal voucher to send to G/L (not
flowcharted)
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A/R posts from the remittance advices to the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger.
Remittance advices are filed alphabetically. Periodically, a summary of the postings is
sent to G/L. (not flowcharted)
G/L department: (not flowcharted) reconciles the journal voucher from Cash
Receipts with the summaries from A/R updates the general ledger control accounts
Manual Cash Receipts Processes – Accounts Receivable
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Control Activities
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Two Broad Categories
Computer Controls General Application
Physical Controls Access Control Accounting Records Authorization Independent Verification Segregation of Duties Supervision (compensating control)
Physical controls are GENERAL
Physical controls are GENERAL
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Examples of Access Controls (Revenue Cycle)
Limit access to assetsWithin revenue cycle, assets to
protect are cash and inventories; restrict access to records such as accounts receivable subsidiary ledger and cash journal.
Manual or CBISManual or CBIS
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Examples of Accounting Records (Revenue Cycle)
With properly maintained audit trail, possible to track transactions through systems and find when & where errors were made: pre-numbered source documents (e.g., sales
orders) special journals (Sales, Cash Receipts) subsidiary ledgers (A/R) general ledger files Manual or CBISManual or CBIS
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Authorization Controls
Proper authorization of transactions (documentation) should occur so that only valid transactions get processed.
Examples of authorization in revenue cycle: sale is made on credit (authorization) cash refund is requested (authorization) posting a cash payment received to a
customer’s account (cash pre-list)
Watch for difference
between General Authorization
and Specific
Authorization
Watch for difference
between General Authorization
and Specific
Authorization
Manual or CBISManual or CBIS
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Examples of Independent Verification (Revenue Cycle)
Physical procedures & recordkeeping should be independently reviewed at various points in system to check for accuracy and completeness: Shipping verifies goods sent from
Warehouse are correct in type and quantity
Billing reconciles shipping notice with sales order
General Ledger reconciles journal vouchers from Billing, Inventory Control, Cash Receipts, and Accounts Receivable
Manual or CBISManual or CBIS
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Segregation of FunctionsThree Rules
1. Transaction authorization should be separate from transaction processing.
2. Asset custody should be separate from asset recordkeeping.
3. The organization should be structured so that fraud requires collusion between two or more individuals. ManualManual
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Examples of Segregation of Functions (Revenue Cycle)
Sales Order Processing credit authorization separate from SO
processing inventory control separate from warehouse accounts receivable sub-ledger separate from
general ledger control account Cash Receipts Processing
cash receipts separate from accounting records
accounts receivable sub-ledger separate from general ledger
ManualManual
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Examples of Supervision (Revenue Cycle)
Supervision of employees serves as deterrent to dishonest acts -particularly important in mailroom. Manual or CBISManual or CBIS
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Supervision in Revenue Cycle
Supervision of employees serves as deterrent to dishonest acts -particularly important in mailroom. Mailroom is first point-of-contact
in organization for customer payments
Manual or CBISManual or CBIS
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Automating Revenue Cycle
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Characteristics of Automated Revenue Cycle
Authorizations and data access can be performed through computer screens.
Reduced paper documents. Manual journals and ledgers are changed
to electronic transaction and master files. Input is still frequently from hard copy
documents and goes through one or more computerized processes.
Processes store data in electronic files or prepare data in the form of a printed report.
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Advantages of Real-Time Processing
Shortens cash cycle of firm by reducing time between order date and billing date
Fewer clerical errors, reducing incorrect items being shipped and bill discrepancies
Reduces amount of expensive paper documents and storage costs
Better inventory management - can lead to competitive advantage
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Example of Reengineered Sales Order/Invoice Processing in Revenue Cycle
Manual procedures & physical documents replaced by interactive computer terminals.
Real time input/output occurs, with some master files still being updated using batches. real-time - entry of customer order, printout
of stock release, packing slip and bill of lading; update of credit file, inventory file, and open sales orders file
batch - printout of invoice, update of closed sales order (journal), accounts receivable and general ledger control account
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Reengineered Cash Receipts Process
Mail room is frequent target for reengineering. Companies send customers preprinted
envelopes and remittance advices. Upon receipt, preprinted envelopes are set aside
and information on envelope is scanned – providing control procedure against theft.
Machines are also available to open envelopes, scan remittance advices and checks, and separate checks.
Point-of-Sale SystemsPoint of sale systems are used extensively
in retail establishments. Customers pick inventory from shelves and
take to cashier.Clerk scans universal product code (UPC).
POS system is connected to inventory file, where price and description are retrieved. Inventory levels are updated and reorder
needs can immediately be detected.
Point-of-Sale SystemsSystem computes amount due. Payment is
either cash, check, debit or credit card in most cases. No accounts receivables
If checks, debit or credit cards are used, on-line link to receive approval is necessary.
At end of day or cashier’s shift, money and receipts in drawer are reconciled to internal cash register tape or printout from computer’s database. Cash over and under must be recorded
Author’s Example of Computerized POS
Reengineering Using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
EDI helps to expedite transactions.The customer’s computer:
Determines inventory is needed Selects supplier with whom business has
a formal business agreement Dials supplier’s computer and places
order Exchange is completely automated.
No human intervention or management
EDI System
PurchasesSystem
EDI TranslationSoftware
EDI TranslationSoftware
CommunicationsSoftware
CommunicationsSoftware
OtherMailbox
OtherMailbox
Wal-Mart’smailbox
Our Company’smailbox
Sales OrderSystem
ApplicationSoftware
ApplicationSoftware
Direct Connection
VAN
Wal-Mart Our Company
Many Transactions
FewTransactions
Reengineering Using the Internet
Typically, no formal business agreements Unlike EDI, where formal agreements
existMost orders require credit cards.Mainly done with e-mail systems, and
thus some turnaround time is necessary “Intelligent agents” needed to eliminate
this time lag.Security and control over data is big
concern with Internet transactions.
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Control Considerations for CBISs
Access Control - magnetic records are vulnerable to both authorized/ unauthorized exposure and should be protected. Must limit access to data files Must limit access to computer
programs
44* Destructive backup means newer files write over the older files.
Control Considerations for CBISs
Accounting Records - rest on reliability and security of magnetically stored data. Accountant/auditor should be skeptical about accepting accuracy of printouts of journals and ledgers. Backup is concern for direct access
files; system must ensure backup of all files is
continuously kept because of “destructive backup” issues with direct access files *
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Control Considerations for CBISs
Authorization - in real-time systems, authorizations are automated: programmed decision rules must be closely monitored.
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Control Considerations for CBISs
Independent Verification – consolidating accounting tasks under one computer program can remove traditional independent verification controls. These controls help: perform batch control balancing after each
computer run Produce reports and summaries for end users
and management to review
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Control Considerations for CBISs
Segregation of Functions - some consolidation of tasks by computer; protect computer programs--coding, processing and maintenance should be separated (internally developed systems).
Supervision - in POS systems, cash register’s internal tape or database is a type of supervision.
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Microcomputer-Based Accounting Systems
Used by small firms & some large, decentralized firms
Frequently, one (or few) individuals perform entire accounting function
Most systems are divided into modules controlled by menu-driven program: general ledger inventory control payroll cash disbursements purchases and accounts payable cash receipts sales order/invoicing
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Microcomputer Control IssuesAccess Control - access controls to data
tend to be weak; consider encryption and/or disk locking devices to compensate
Accounting Records - computer disk failures cause data losses; maintain periodic backups and off-site storage
Segregation of Duties – tend to be inadequate should be compensated for with increased
supervision, detailed management reports, frequent independent verification
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