International Standards on Auditing Application Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends External Auditors, Audit Seniors and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-A-095

Before you join: Participants should have a working knowledge of double-entry accounting, financial statements and basic audit terminology, including materiality, assertions, controls and substantive testing.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

An audit file can fail inspection even when the financial statements contain no material error. Common causes include weak risk assessment, unclear links between assertions and procedures, insufficient evidence, undocumented judgement and reporting decisions that do not follow the applicable International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). These weaknesses create rework, delayed sign-off, inspection findings and reduced confidence among audit committees, regulators, lenders and shareholders. This course focuses on turning ISA requirements into defensible audit work.

Participants work through the audit cycle from engagement acceptance and planning to risk assessment, audit responses, evidence evaluation, completion and reporting. They apply ISA 200, ISA 230, ISA 240, ISA 315, ISA 320, ISA 330, ISA 500, ISA 530, ISA 540, ISA 570, ISA 600, ISA 700 and related standards. The course develops the ability to identify risks of material misstatement, set materiality, test controls and balances, assess estimates and going concern, evaluate misstatements, document professional judgement and determine the appropriate audit opinion.

Teaching combines focused instructor briefings with financial statement cases, audit-file reviews, group analysis, sampling decisions, reporting scenarios and application planning. Cases reflect issues encountered in banks, public bodies, commercial entities and donor-funded organisations. Participants leave with a reusable set of ISA-based planning, risk, testing, completion and reporting tools that can be adapted to their firm's methodology or audit assignment.

The course is suited to professionals who already understand basic accounting and audit concepts and now need to apply ISAs consistently in audit engagements, quality reviews or finance roles supporting external audit work.

What you will be able to do

  • Apply ISA 200 principles, ethical requirements and professional scepticism to audit decisions
  • Plan an audit using ISA 300, ISA 320 and an overall audit strategy
  • Assess risks of material misstatement under ISA 315 using assertions and control analysis
  • Design audit responses under ISA 330 for controls testing and substantive procedures
  • Evaluate audit evidence, sampling results, accounting estimates and identified misstatements
  • Document audit work under ISA 230 with clear evidence, judgement and conclusions
  • Form audit opinions and reporting paragraphs under ISA 700, ISA 705 and ISA 706
  • Prepare an ISA application plan for improving the next audit engagement

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence linking audit risks, assertions, procedures and conclusions
  • Improved ability to prepare inspection-ready working papers
  • Stronger judgement when auditing estimates, fraud risks and going concern
  • Clearer understanding of modified opinions and key audit matters
  • Reusable ISA-based tools for planning and reviewing audit engagements

For your organisation

  • More consistent ISA application across audit teams and engagement files
  • Better linkage between assessed risks and planned audit procedures
  • Fewer review points caused by incomplete evidence or unclear documentation
  • Earlier identification of fraud, going-concern and reporting issues
  • Improved readiness for quality reviews, inspections and audit committee scrutiny

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can explain the ISA framework, ethical duties and quality management responsibilities governing an audit engagement.

  • IAASB standards, ethical requirements and financial reporting frameworks within audit engagements
  • ISA 200 objectives, reasonable assurance and professional scepticism requirements
  • General principles governing management responsibilities and auditor responsibilities under ISA 200
  • Quality management links between ISQM 1, ISA 220 and engagement teams
  • Ethical threats assessed using the IESBA Code conceptual framework
  • Documentation standards established by ISA 230 working-paper requirements

Participants can establish engagement terms and develop an ISA-based audit strategy, plan and materiality approach.

  • ISA 300 overall audit strategy and detailed audit plan components
  • Engagement acceptance assessed under ISA 210 preconditions and agreed terms
  • Materiality determined under ISA 320 for planning and performance purposes
  • Planning analytical procedures developed under ISA 520 using financial trends
  • Audit team direction, supervision and review documented under ISA 220
  • Opening balances considered under ISA 510 for initial audit engagements

Participants can identify and assess risks of material misstatement using entity understanding, assertions and control analysis.

  • Risk assessment procedures combining inquiries, observation, inspection and analytical procedures
  • ISA 315 risk assessment identifies significant classes, balances and disclosures
  • Five internal-control components evaluated using the COSO Internal Control Framework
  • IT general controls assessed for access, change management and operations
  • Inherent risk factors linked to susceptibility and assessed risk levels
  • Significant risks identified, including management override and revenue recognition presumptions
  • Entity-level controls distinguished from transaction-level controls during walkthroughs

Participants can design and evaluate audit procedures that respond directly to assessed risks.

  • ISA 330 responses designed for assessed risks at assertion level
  • Tests of controls planned using inquiry, observation, inspection and reperformance
  • Substantive procedures matched to occurrence, completeness, accuracy and valuation assertions
  • Audit sampling under ISA 530 selects items and evaluates misstatements
  • External confirmations obtained and controlled under ISA 505 requirements
  • ISA 500 evidence sufficiency and appropriateness evaluated before conclusions
  • Exceptions aggregated to reassess risk, controls and substantive testing

Participants can address audit areas requiring heightened professional scepticism and documented judgement.

  • ISA 240 fraud risks assessed through inquiries, journal testing and unpredictability
  • Management override addressed through journal-entry testing, estimates review and unusual transactions
  • Related-party risks identified and tested under ISA 550 requirements
  • Accounting estimates audited under ISA 540 using methods, data and assumptions
  • Going-concern assessment performed under ISA 570 using forecasts and covenants
  • Subsequent events reviewed under ISA 560 through reporting-date procedures
  • Litigation claims assessed through ISA 501 inquiries and legal correspondence

Participants can select appropriate procedures for common material balances, transactions and disclosures.

  • Revenue testing addresses ISA 240 presumptions, cut-off and contract terms
  • Inventory attendance performed under ISA 501 with test counts and condition observations
  • Bank balances tested through confirmations, reconciliations and subsequent-clearance procedures
  • Receivables existence and valuation tested using confirmations and ageing analysis
  • Capital expenditure vouched to approvals, invoices, ownership and depreciation
  • Payables completeness tested through supplier statements, search procedures and cut-off
  • Financial-statement disclosures checked against applicable reporting framework requirements

Participants can manage audit evidence and communication where components, experts or service organisations are involved.

  • ISA 600 Revised group audit responsibilities allocated across engagement teams
  • Component auditor communications specify scope, risks, materiality and reporting
  • Auditor's experts evaluated under ISA 620 competence, capabilities and objectivity
  • Management's experts assessed when auditing complex estimates and valuations
  • Service-organisation controls considered under ISA 402 reports and complementary controls
  • Internal-audit work evaluated under ISA 610 before planned reliance
  • Misstatements communicated and corrected under ISA 450 evaluation requirements

Participants can create clear audit documentation and communicate significant matters to management and those charged with governance.

  • ISA 230 files demonstrate procedures, evidence, judgments and review completion
  • Working papers cross-reference objectives, assertions, procedures, results and conclusions
  • ISA 260 communications address governance responsibilities, scope, timing and findings
  • Internal-control deficiencies reported under ISA 265 with severity and recommendations
  • Management representation letters obtained under ISA 580 before report dating
  • Engagement quality reviews documented under ISQM 2 eligibility and completion requirements
  • Archiving, retention and file assembly meet firm policy requirements

Participants can determine the appropriate audit report and explain the basis for the reporting decision.

  • ISA 700 report structure aligned with applicable financial reporting framework
  • Unmodified opinions issued when sufficient appropriate evidence supports conclusions
  • ISA 705 modified opinions distinguish qualified, adverse and disclaimer outcomes
  • ISA 706 emphasis-of-matter and other-matter paragraphs applied appropriately
  • Key audit matters selected and described under ISA 701
  • Going-concern reporting implications assessed under ISA 570 material uncertainty requirements
  • Comparative information reporting considered under ISA 710 requirements

Participants can connect planning, fieldwork, completion and reporting decisions into a coherent ISA-compliant audit approach.

  • End-to-end audit file assembled from planning through reporting conclusions
  • Risk-to-response matrices trace assertions, procedures, evidence and conclusions
  • Uncorrected misstatements evaluated against materiality using ISA 450
  • Completion procedures address subsequent events, representations and final analytical review
  • Review notes resolved with clear evidence, judgment and sign-off
  • Audit reporting decisions documented using facts, standards and rationale
  • Personal ISA application plan prioritises improvements for the next engagement

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. ISA-based audit planning template
  2. Risk and assertion matrix
  3. Controls testing programme
  4. Audit evidence sufficiency checklist
  5. Completion and misstatement evaluation schedule
  6. Auditor reporting decision guide

Who should attend

  • External Auditors — apply ISA requirements consistently throughout financial statement audits
  • Audit Seniors — supervise fieldwork, review evidence and resolve audit-file issues
  • Audit Managers — direct engagement planning, risk responses and reporting decisions
  • Internal Auditors — strengthen assurance work using recognised audit evidence principles
  • Finance Managers — prepare audit-ready evidence and respond effectively to auditor requests
  • Financial Controllers — understand audit testing, materiality and financial statement reporting issues

Skills and tools covered

ISA audit planningRisk assessmentAudit evidence evaluationControl testingWorking-paper documentationAudit reporting

Tools and standards

International Standards on Auditing, ISQM 1, IESBA Code of Ethics, COSO Internal Control Framework

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to establish each ISA requirement, followed by structured case work based on financial statement audit files. Participants analyse risks, materiality, controls, audit evidence, estimates, misstatements and reporting choices in small groups. Simulations require decisions on sampling, confirmations, going concern and modified opinions. Facilitated reviews compare decisions against ISA requirements and professional judgement principles. Individual application planning helps participants transfer the methods into their next audit assignment.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have a working knowledge of double-entry accounting, financial statements and basic audit terminology, including materiality, assertions, controls and substantive testing. Experience on an audit engagement, in a finance department or in an internal audit role is helpful and expected for best results. Participants should be able to read a set of financial statements and follow accounting records, reconciliations and supporting documents. Prior study of the full ISA handbook, audit software expertise and a professional accounting qualification are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand basic accounting, financial statements and common audit terms such as assertions, materiality and controls. Prior audit or finance experience is expected, but prior study of every ISA is not required.

Bring a laptop if possible, together with examples of recurring audit-file or reporting issues from your work. You do not need to bring confidential client files, and course materials are provided.

It is designed primarily for external auditors, audit seniors and managers who need to apply ISAs during financial statement audits. Finance managers, controllers and internal auditors also benefit when supporting or reviewing audit work.

This course assumes participants already know core accounting and audit concepts. It concentrates on applying ISA requirements to planning, evidence, documentation, completion and auditor reporting decisions.

Participants use reusable planning, risk assessment, testing, completion and reporting tools based on ISA requirements. The methods can be adapted to an audit firm's methodology, a public-sector audit or finance-team support for external auditors.

The five days run from 08:30 to 16:30 and provide about 6.5 contact hours per day. Time is allocated across ten modules covering the audit cycle, with briefings, cases, group analysis, simulations and application planning.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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