Thank you, Acct Mom for your input! Your timing is perfect!

For GaWahine - I think your budget performance accountability is the responsibility of your officers and your members, not the independent auditor. I think the auditor is looking more at the mechanics of your process, rather than judging the performance.

We report performance to budget "to date" each month, and keep a close eye on accounts that may have some uncertainty. We also insist that our chairpeople manage their committees so they don't overrun their budget without first securing approval from the membership. It could happen, of course. In that case, we would vote to either allocate fundraising surplus (if we have any), or take the money from another category's budget. We don't expect members to "eat" PTO expenses that went over budget. I hope we don't have that situation any time soon!

I understand the receipt or invoice for the checks written. But for instance the general membership approves a budget for teacher appreciation for 300.00 and all the checks are cleared with receipts attached. But if you add up all the receipts to teacher appreciation and its 400.00 then isn't there a problem. The audit really doesn't go into that budget accountability area does it? The audit is more checkbook balancing more or less (but really more, right?).

Where it states that all:

All Disbursements have been properly documented with an invoice or receipt.

Before approvals are made our PTO has a check request form and a grant form both need signatures before that check is written.

I understand the accounting part of the audit but what about making sure that the expenses were approved in the first place (by the general membership and/or the executive committee) before writing out the checks. Where is the accountability in the audit for that? (I hope that make sense?)

Hey Acct. Mom -

Could you shoot our editor an email privately. He'd like to speak/trade emails with you.

He's at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thanks,

Tim

I have seen this used in several different organizations it seems to be pretty generic.

Here's what is on the audit form. These are the highlights of the form. Of course on the top header organization name:
Fiscal Year:
Beginning Cash Balance (Ending Balance from last audit) $ ________
Receipts during Period (b) ___________
Total Cash Available (c)= A+B= ___________
Disbursements During Period (D) _______
Ending Cash Balance (E) = (C-D) =_________
Bank Statement Balance (F) ____________
Checks Outstanding (List Below) (G) ___________
Bank Fees Not Recorded (List Below)(H) _______
Reconciled Cash Balance (I)=F-G+H= ___________
Checks outstanding and other Reconciling Deductions (Write total on line G) above
Bank Fees not recorded and other reconciling Additions: (Write this total on line H above)

Audit Committee Statement: We have examined the books of the treasurer and have found that the Reconciled Cash Balance presented above is correct, and that all receipts and disbursements during the period were in accordance with this organizaitons mission and District name policies and procedures.

A seperate report of exceptions noted during the audit is attached. Yes or No (Circle One)

Signed: ___________________ Date: _________
Signed: ____________________ Date: ________
Signed: ____________________ Date: ________


Sorry, Tim. Figured everyone will start asking for this.

Guidelines: I have these also but it's pretty basic.
Compare all cash receipts and deposit to the bank statement.
Check addition and subtraction on all cash receipts an ddeposits.
All Disbursements have been properly approved.
All checks were signed with two signatures.
All checks have been deposited or cashed by the payee indicated and that o information on the fac of th echeck has been altered.
All Disbursements have been properly documented with an invoice or receipt.
Obtain proof that all applicable sales tax were paid.
Obtain proof that any required IRS forms were compled and filed Form 990
If exceptions are noted during the audit (errors, irregularities), consult with the organizations treasurer and president (if necessary) to resolve the exception. The treasurer is responsible for making any corrections to the ledger or checkbook.
Review the treasurer's periodic reports and check them for accuracy. Review the beginning and ending balances on each report to verify that correct ending balances were carried forward as beginning balances on subsequent reports.
If exceptions are noted, prepare a separate Exception Report to submit with your Audit Report
The exception report should detail:
Exceptions Noted
Steps taken to remedy the exception.
Recommendations made to prevent further occurrence of exceptions noted.
The organizations treasurer and president are responsible for acting upon the recommendations made by the Audit Committee.
Submit a copy of this audit to the campus principal.
*************************************************
I hope that this helps everyone out. You can tweak it any way that you want. A important factor to remember is that we are all parent volunteers any info we can share is vital. Especially, when your starting out or don't have anything to go on.

Make sure no missing checks *they all in sequence. When audit complete draw a line after the checkbook entry and ledger entry audited. Sign and dated.