Has anyone prepared a Quality Assurance Manual for Compilations? I was speaking to an Accountant, who disagrees with the new manual mandated by CPA as it is a money making scheme to increase practice inspection fees. He is of the view, compilations are moving toward documentations similar to review engagements, as a result the small practitioners will leave public practice. What are you views?
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That, and a blatant attempt to get those who’ve left CPA to return…by forcing a change to an equally meaningless NTR under a different name.
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Yup. I predicted this kind of behaviour back when they were still in negotiations to merge CPA, CMA, and CGA. It’s not going to get better for small practitioners, especially those who aren’t CPA’s.
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I’ve been in this game since 1973, a CGA since 1994, a CPA since the merger, and the aggravation never stops. When ASPE came out, we were promised the handbook updates would be limited to maybe one or two per year, and what happened? Updates at least monthly. I think the classification of redeemable preferred shares issued in a freeze has bounced between equity and liabilities at least 3 times. Try explaining to your client why their retained earnings were just gutted. Then there’s the periodic practice inspections. These get more and more expensive for a sole practitioner. Anyone know what it costs to get a “cyclical inspection” done? And that’s on top of the cost of the file inspection by CPA. The quality assurance manual comes in various versions, but it’s a nightmare for a sole practitioner. I’m just hoping I can hang on for another 13 years until I turn 85 and semi-retire.
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Hello Jhd.hemeon, can you advise where can I get/purchase a draft Quality Assurance Manual? CPA doesn’t provide any such document as a guide.
Try the model Quality Management Menu and Practicial Aid from a fellow CPA at
www.ashgrovelearning.ca
Hope this helps.
This is not an advertisement, I am not connected or related to the provider, let me know your thinking and opinion.
It’s in the members section of their website. You need a subscription to the CPA Canada Handbook. I think it can be bought separately, if you don’t already subscribe. There are templates for firms of various sizes. I use the one for sole practitioners with no staff. It’s a lot of work to customize it for your firm. Originally referred to as the QAM, it has gone through at least 3 complete redo’s and is now called the QMG.
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Thank you Lokki!
Thank you jhd.hemeon!
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ATAP and PBA are working on something to this effect, in conjunction with their work on Veriguide (which is intended to be an alternative to CSRS 4200). But, it may be a few years until it is completed.
Knowledge Bureau is also trying to put together a “compilation course” (which may include a procedural manual), but they are struggling to find staff to actually “write” the course material (they have one person, but want to hire at least two).
I echo this recommendation. I have used Ashgrove Learning for various resources for a while. They also offer File Monitoring and other Quality Management services, if that interests anyone. It was a pleasure to work with Penny in the past, when I used to do assurance work. I’ll likely use them again for my future monitoring now that it’s required again.
Yes, Penny is my external reviewer for my review engagement files. She also helps me to improve my Quality Assurance Menu.