A proposed guideline for auditing revenues in the Iraqi environment according to IFRS 15

Abstract

   Deficiencies in revenue-related accounting standards, including American accounting standards as well as international accounting standards, prompted the issuance of the International Financial Reporting Standard IFRS 15 "Revenue from contracts with customers" as part of the convergence plan between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) according to the requirements of The joint venture between the two councils, whereby the standard aims to define the basis for reporting useful information to the users of the financial statements about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty about the revenues and cash flows arising from a contract with the customer, The standard is based on specific conditions for the recognition of revenue from the contract when both parties to the contract or one of them meet performance obligations, specifically after the customer has the ability to exercise control over the product or service subject of the contract, and to complete the reflection of the application of the standard on the accounting side. The current research aims to demonstrate the reflection of the application of the standard. On the revenue audit procedures and then proposing the appropriate mechanism to understand the requirements of the standard and work to find additional and somewhat integrated procedures that help auditors to audit revenues in the Iraqi environment in accordance with the requirements of the new standard.

The importance of research stems in the framework of providing scientific and research support and support for the efforts made by governmental and professional bodies in Iraq in implementing their recent directions regarding the adoption and application of international accounting and financial reporting standards IAS / IFRS in Iraq by 2021 and the subsequent tasks incumbent upon the professionals and Among them are the account auditors regarding the formulation and implementation of audit procedures that are sufficient and appropriate for the task of expressing an opinion on the truthfulness and fairness of what is expressed in the financial reports of the Iraqi economic units that will have to apply the aforementioned standards by 2021. Among those standards that may pose challenges in the field of their application at the accounting and auditing levels are related to the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS 15) "Revenue from contracts with clients". Therefore, the importance of research lies in the possibility of proposing new or complementary procedures for revenue audit procedures in the Iraqi environment, whether Those prepared by the Federal Office of Financial Supervision or procedures designed by auditors in Iraqi audit firms and offices.

The most prominent finding of the research is that the procedures currently followed in auditing revenues suffer from many areas of deficiency in the field of assessing the risks of external auditing, evaluating the internal control system and examining the method of its implementation, as well as the operational procedures that enable the auditors to collect the necessary evidence that enables them to express their opinion. Neutral technical, and accordingly, a guide was proposed that auditors could follow during the stages of the revenue audit process, which must be recognized, measured and then disclosed in line with the requirements of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS 15), The fact that this guide provides, from the researchers' point of view, detailed and clear procedures in the field of assessing auditing risks and studying the internal control system, as well as the detailed procedures contained in the proposed guide to audit revenues according to the requirements of the above standard.