An independent evaluation conducted within a company to assess and improve the effectiveness of risk management, internal controls, and governance processes.
Internal audit is performed by the company's own audit team or outsourced professionals to evaluate operational efficiency, financial reporting accuracy, compliance with laws and policies, and risk management effectiveness. Unlike external audit (statutory, by independent auditors for shareholders), internal audit serves management's needs. In India, companies with turnover exceeding ₹200 crore or paid-up capital above ₹50 crore must have an internal audit function under Section 138 of the Companies Act 2013. Internal auditors report to the Audit Committee.
An internal audit of the procurement department reveals: 12% of purchase orders bypass the approval workflow, 3 vendors have no signed contracts, and 2 employees have both PO creation and payment approval rights (segregation of duties violation).
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Internal audit: performed by company employees, continuous throughout the year, focuses on operations/risk/controls, reports to management/audit committee. External audit: performed by independent auditors, annual, focuses on financial statement accuracy, reports to shareholders.
Yes for: listed companies, unlisted public companies with turnover ≥ ₹200 crore or paid-up capital ≥ ₹50 crore, and private companies with turnover ≥ ₹200 crore or outstanding loans ≥ ₹100 crore, under Section 138 of Companies Act 2013.
A chronological record of all transactions and changes made in an accounting system, providing a traceable path for verification and compliance.
The master accounting record that contains all financial transactions of a business, organized by account.
A financial statement that shows a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time.
An integrated software system that manages all core business processes — accounting, inventory, HR, CRM, manufacturing, and more — in a single platform.
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