Audit vs Attestation: What's the Difference

Professional accountants engage in distinct types of evaluations to provide credibility and assurance to financial and non-financial information, catering to the diverse needs of stakeholders. Two of the most common ones include audits and attestation.

Table of Contents

What does Audit mean?

An audit is a systematic and impartial examination of an organization’s financial records, transactions, and internal controls, executed by a qualified professional auditor. Its primary aim is to express an opinion on the fairness and reliability of financial statements. The auditor rigorously evaluates whether the financial statements faithfully represent the entity’s financial position, performance, and cash flows following relevant accounting standards and regulatory requirements.

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To achieve this, the auditor conducts an evidence-gathering process encompassing inquiry, observation, documentation inspection, and analytical review. This evidential foundation assesses the accuracy, completeness, and adherence to accounting principles while adhering to professional standards and ethical principles that underscore the auditor’s objectivity, independence, and integrity.

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What does Attestation mean?

Attestation represents a professional engagement where a qualified accountant delivers an evaluation, verification, or assurance on a specific subject matter, distinct from financial statements. The core objective of an attestation engagement is to rigorously assess the subject matter’s reliability, accuracy, or adherence to predetermined criteria. The issuance of attestation reports signifies the outcome of the evaluation and the level of assurance rendered.

In this capacity, the accountant systematically analyses the subject matter and employs appropriate examination procedures, encompassing inquiry, observation, document inspection, and other pertinent methodologies to gather relevant evidence supporting their assessment. Attestation engagements play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and reliability of information beyond financial statements.

Audit vs Attestation: What is the difference?

Audit and attestation may follow a similar process. However, they differ significantly based on the following points.

Objective

The core objective of an audit is to render an opinion on the fairness and reliability of the financial statements. Meticulous scrutiny of financial records, transactions, and internal controls ensures accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable accounting standards.

Conversely, attestation engagements seek to assure specific subject matter or information beyond financial statements. These engagements are characterized by a focused approach, evaluating particular aspects of an organization’s operations.

Scope

The audit’s scope encompasses comprehensive testing and verification of financial data, with an unwavering commitment to adhering to established accounting principles.

Attestation engagements can be narrower in scope compared to audits. They focus on specific aspects of an organization’s operations, such as internal controls, compliance with laws and regulations, or the effectiveness of sustainability reporting.

Audience

Audit reports are typically issued to external stakeholders, such as shareholders, investors, lenders, and regulatory authorities, instilling confidence in the financial statements’ accuracy.

The intended audience of attestation reports may vary, ranging from management and stakeholders to external users, depending on the engagement’s purpose.

Report

The audit report furnishes a judiciously independent and expertly evaluated opinion on the equity and dependability of the financial statements, thereby engendering a sense of assurance among stakeholders and affirming the accuracy of the disclosed financial information.

The attestation report depicts the level of assurance provided, be it reasonable assurance signifying a high degree of confidence or limited assurance indicating a moderate level of confidence in the subject matter.

Conclusion

Audit and attestation are similar services involving auditors providing a report to a specific group. Audits are more prevalent due to their nature. However, attestation engagements can also be crucial for some clients. Despite that, both services differ. The differences between the two stem from their objective, scope, audience, and report.