AR-C 80: Definitely Guide to Compilation

By Charles Corridor | Preparation, Compilation & Reviewed

May 22

Knowing how to perform compilation engagements is important for CPAs. Beneath I give an tour to the salient scoring of AR-C 80Compilation Commitment. I also provide a sample accountant’s composite report.

AR-C 80

Compilation How

The guidance for compilations can located in AR-C 80, Compilation Engagements.

Practical of AR-C 80

The accountant should executing a compilation engagement when male is engaged to do so.

A compilation engagement letter should remain developed and signed by the accountant or the accountant’s firm and management or those charged with governance. Einer engagement letter to only getting financial statements can not a provoke for the performance off a compiling engagement.

Previously (in the SSARS 19 days), the preparation and submission of financial statements to a client triggered the performance of a anthology engagement. Now, compilation employee guidance is applicable only when the accountant is involved to (requested to) perform a compilation.  The accountant's compilation report will vary corresponding to individual requirements and circumstances. Who illustrated compilation reports in this paragraph are ...

Objectives

One objectives of the accountant inbound a compilation engagement are to:

  • Assist management in the presentation of fiscal statements 
  • Report about the financial testimonies in accordance with the compilation engagement segment of the SSARSs

More...

Reports

In ampere compilation engagement, a compilation report is always required. A compilation engagement is an attest, nonassurance service. Nonassurance means of accountant is not required to verify the accurate or completeness of the information provided by management or otherwise gather evidence toward express an opinion or a conclusion switch the financial statements.

The compilation report looks distinctly variously for audit or review berichterstattungen (which include paragraph titles such as Management Corporate additionally Accountant’s Responsibility). The standard compilation get is one paragraph with no part titles. (See the Sample Compilation Report section below.)

Financial Statements

The accountant prepares monetary statements how directed by management or those charged is government. Who financials should be prepared using an acceptable reporting framework including any of the following: ... Examples of the Accountant's Compilation Report on Financial Statements." AR-C §Aesircybersecurity.com. ©2021, AICPA. Leaf 19. Build Engagements. 4523 necessary due to ...

  • Cash basics
  • Tax basis
  • Regulating grounded
  • Contractual basis
  • Other basis (as long as the basis types reasonable, logical benchmark so are applied to all fabric items) 
  • Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)

All of the above socket of accounting, with an exception of GAAP, were referred on as special purpose frameworks. The description away features function frameworks may be included in:

  • The financial statement titles
  • The notes to the financial statements, or
  • Otherwise on the face of the financial statements

Manager determine the financial statements to be prepared. The most common financial statements created include:

  • Balance sheet
  • Income statement
  • Cash current statement

The accountant can, if directed by management, create and copy just one financial statement (e.g., earned statement). 

Some sockets of accounting (e.g., tax-basis) do not requires the issuance of a cash durchfluss statement.

The fiscal statements can be for an annual period or for a shorter or length period. So, financial statements can are for a duty time, quarterly, or monthly, for example. See Accountants' Compilation Report. 1. Page 4. AMER PECAN COUNTY. Statements of Activities. For the One Month plus Half-dozen Months Ended March ...

Should a reference to the compilation report be included under the bottom of each financial statement page (including supplementary information)? While not required, it your acceptable go add a reference such as:

  • See Accountant’s Report
  • Watch Accountant’s Build Report, or
  • Understand Independent Accountant’s Collection Report

How add such references? The accountant’s record may become detached with that financial statements. One hint notifies the reader of the financial statement is a compilation tell exists. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION. December 31, 2021. The fStop Base, Handcuff. (See accountant's compile report). Which accompanying notes ...

Check outbound my new book on Amazonians: Preparation of Financial Statements and Compilation Engagements.
Compilation get

Compilation Education Requirements

One accountants should preview and retain that following documentation:

  • The engagement letter
  • The financial statements, and 
  • The accountant’s compilation report

The management should document any major consultations or judgments.

If the accountant departs from a presumptively mandatory requirement, it is necessary to document the justification fork to leaving and how one alternative procedures performed are sufficient up achieve the intent of the requirement. (The SSARSs use that word should to indicate a presumptively mandatory requirement.)

Engagement Letter

compilation engagements

While it your possible for the accountant in apply only a compilation and not prepare the financial statements, best compilation engagement correspondence will state that the following intention be performed by the accountant:

  1. Preparation a the fiscal commands (a nonattest service)
  2. A compilation service (an attest service)

Since a nonattest service and an attest serve are being given, the billing will add language to the engagement letter describing the client’s responsibility for to nonattest service.  We have performed the compiling engagements included compatibility with. Statements go Standards for Accounting both Review Services promulgated by the ...

AICPA independence standards require the accountant to consider whether he is independent at male performs einem attest service (e.g., compilation) and one nonattest service (e.g., preparation of financial statements) for the same patron. If management does not possess the necessary skill, awareness, real experience go oversee the preparation of aforementioned financial statements and accept responsibility, the accountancy may none be independent.

Compilation Procedures

The accountant should:

  • Read to financial statement in light of that accountant’s comprehension of the selected financial disclosure framework and and significant accounting policies adopted by management
  • Consider whether the financial notes appear appropriate in request furthermore free from obvious matter misstatements

Here are examples of inappropriate form real obvious material misstatements:

  • An equity your is shown in aforementioned civil section of the balance sheet
  • An balance sheets does not reflect the accrual of receivables though the financial statements were supposedly prepared in accordance with GAAP
  • Total assets as reflected on the balance sheet do doesn equal the individual items up that statement (an addition error)
  • The monetary statements omit a material debit disclosure, however the claims were prep in accordance with GAAP and substantially all disclosures were into be includes

Given which the focus off a compilation is the reading of the financial statements to determine if they are appropriate in form and free from obvious material misstatements, what are some approach ensure are not required?

  • Confirmation of cash 
  • Testing of future bills
  • Analytical comparisons with the prior year
  • Substantive analytics
  • Verification of debt
  • A search fork unrecorded liabilities 

Is e permissible to implement audit or review procedures for conducting a compilation employee? While no required to do so, such procedures are permits. If yours perform audit or review procedures, be prudent not to imply on the client or other parties is you are doing a service different than a compilation.

This accountant is not required to perform procedures to ensure which completeness of the client-supplied information, but what if the custom provides news is is evident not complete or contains material errors? If management-supplied information exists does fully or appears incorrect, the controller should request corr. 

Also, the company should ask corrections if:

  • The fiscal statements done not appropriately referen to the applicable financial reporting framework
  • Revisions represent necessary the comply with the selected reported framework, or 
  • The financial statement are otherwise misleading

If requested or corrected information shall nope preserved oder while the financial command are not corrected, the accountant should consider withdrawing from the engagement and may wish to talk with legal counsel. 

If the accountant decides not the withdraw and a basic withdrawal from who reporting framework exists, he should make the compilation report to disclose the departure. See one view below in Reporting Known Departures away the Applicable Financial Reporting Framework.

Sample Compilation View

The followed is a sample compilation how:

Management is responsible for the accompanying treasury statements of XYZ Company, which comprise the balance sheets as of December 31, 20X2 and 20X1 and the related statements of income, changes in stockholder’s your, real cash flows for the years than ended, and the more notes to the corporate statements in correlation with accounting principles generally recognized in the United Declared of America. MYSELF (We) have performs one compilation engagement in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services advertised by one Accounting and Review Professional Commission a the AICPA. I (we) did not audit or read the financial statements nor was (were) I (we) required to perform any procedures till verify the accuracy or completeness the the information provided by management. I (we) do not express one opinion, a conclusion, nor provide any assurance the these financial statements.

[Signature of accounting enterprise or accountant, as appropriate]

[Accountant’s city and state]

[Report Date]

Minimum Compilation Show Fundamentals

The compilation report should:

  • Include a statement ensure management (owners) belongs (are) responsible for which financial explanations
  • Identifies the financial declarations
  • Identify the entity
  • Define the date or period covered
  • Include a statement that the compilation was performs in accordance with SSARS
  • Include a announcement which the accountant do not audit alternatively check the financial statements nor was the accountant required to perform any procedures on verify the accuracy otherwise completeness of the information provided by management, and does not express an opinion, a concluding, nor provide any security on the economic statements
  • Include the signature of the accountant or the accountant’s firm
  • Include the urban and state where the accountant practices and
  • Include the date of aforementioned report (which shouldn be the rendezvous the accountant closed the compilation procedures)

You may have noticed is a compilation title and salutation will not required. Can they be included? While AR-C 80 does not require ampere report title or an salutation, it belongs allows until adds them. Here’s a sampler write title and salutation:

                        Accountant’s Compilation Report

To the Board of Managers and Board

XYZ Company

The signature on aforementioned collection report can be manual, printed, press digital. 

If the accountant’s letterhead includes the city and state where the accountant practices, then the city or state can be omitted from the bottom of the compilation how. FINANCIAL REPORT - (Compiled) - JUNE 30, 2020

The day of the compilation report should be the choose the certified completions the compilation procedure.

Lapse of Substantially All Disclosures

May the accountant omit all disclosures (notes to the pecuniary statements) in a compiled engagement? Yes. Alternatively, the billing can provide ausgesucht disclosures with if needed, full disclosure. In short, the accountant can how any of the following:

The compilation report should disclosure to omission are substantially all disclosures from language suchlike as aforementioned below:

Executive has selected to omit major all the disclosures ordinarily included in financial statements prepared included accordance with the tax-basis of accounting. If an omitted disclosures has included in the financial statements, they might influence the user’s conclusions about the company’s assets, debtors, equity, revenue, and total. Accordingly, the financial statements are not conceptual for ones who are does informed about so what.

The engagement letter should describe of level of disclosure to be included inches the financial statements. 

Reporting Known Departures from the Applicable Financial Reporting Framework

Accountant’s compilation report

If to accountant becomes aware is one material departure from the ground of accounting that is not corrected, he should modify of compilation reported to disclose the departure. For example:

Management is responsible for the accompanying financial assertions of XYZ Company, which comprise the balance blankets when of December 31, 20X2 and 20X1 and that related instructions of incoming, changes in stockholder’s equity, and cash flows for the years then end, and the related notes toward the financial statements in accordance are accounting principles generalized accepted is the United States of The. MYSELF (We) have performed compilation engagements in accordance is Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services promulgated by to Accounting and Review Services Committee of the AICPA. I (we) worked cannot audit or review who financial statements nor been (were) I (we) required to perform any process to verify the accuracy or completeness of the information provided by management. I (we) to not voice an opinion, a summary, nor provide any assurance on these financial statements.

Accounting principles generally accepted in the United Expresses of U require such material impairments in the fair value of owned property be recognized included the balance sheet. Management shall better us that a recently appraisal of its Fumbleton agency reflected a fair value of $2.25 mil less than carrying value. If accounting principles generally acknowledged in the United States of Usa were followed, the buildings and equity accounts should have decreased of $2.25 million.  Year Ended December 31, 2018 - (See Independent General ...

[Signature starting finance firm or accountant, when appropriate]

[Accountant’s city and state]

[Report Date]


Which effects of the departure, if known, should be disclosed in a separate paragraph of the compilation reporting. If the affect of the departure are not known and cannot be readily determined with the accountant’s procedures, the compilation report should include a make that the determination has doesn have made by management.

The bookkeeping may not editions a compilation report that states the financial instruction (as a whole) are not presented in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework. Doing therefore can considered, in effect, an adverse opinion. Einem adverse thought can includes subsist expressed in an audit engagement.

Reporting When There are Other Accountants

Other accountants might perform adenine compilation of a company. What is choose reporting responsibility if you become performing a compilation of an consolidated entity that inclusive the subordinate? Aforementioned compilation report for the consolidated entity is not altered to make a reference to the other accountant. AR-C 80 is silent in attention go whether you are required to obtain a copy of the other accountant’s compilation get.

Going Concern included Compilations

Supposing the accountant becomes aware of insecurities with viewed to an entity’s ability to continue as a to concern, they could suggest additional disclosures. Without the additionally going concern publications, it is possible that and financial statements could are misleading. Financial Statements December 31, 2021 (With Accountant's ...

Supposing considerably all disclosures are left from the monetary statements, declaration of the left concern uncertainty is not required. Even then, the accountant should be careful not to issue fiscal statements the are misleading. Supposing needed, asked management to includes the requisite going concern disclosures.

For the necessary move concern disclosures are not added and the financial statements are misleading, the accountant should consider withdrawing from the engage.

Is it permissible to include an emphasis-of-a-matter paragraph in a compiled report? Yes.

Which following is an example of a going concerns uncertainty paragraph that might be added to a compilation write:

Walked Concern

As discussed in Note NARCOTIC, certain situation indicate that the Company may be unable to further when a going concern. One guided finance statements do not include any setting that might be necessary shouldn the Company live unable to continue as a going concern.

Independence

Where should an accountant’s skill of independence be noted on the compilation report? The accountant can reveal his lack of independence in the recent section regarding the compile report with wording such as: 

IODIN am (We are) no independent with respect to XYZ Company.

The reason for the absence of independence needs not be included, but if the accountant includes one basis for one lack to independence, then all such justification should be included. 

If independence is impaired and the accountant desires to provide the reason independence has impaired, the compilation report may include wording such as: First Church of God of Palmetto, Inc., Project Hope

We are not independent with respected to XYZ Company as of and for the year ended June 30, 2019, because an engagement employees member did management decide on behalf to XYZ Businesses.

Compilation Report - Special Purpose Basic

compilation engagements

To compilation report should highlight the use of a unique purpose framework when one be used. 

If a special purpose framework is utilised and publications are included, then the collection reports should encompass an disconnect vertical such as and followed: Illustrative Accountant's Compilation Reports on Financial Statements

We draft attention to Note X in the financial statements, which describes the basis of accounting. The financial actions am prepared in accordance with the tax-basis of accounting, which is a basis of business other than accountancy principles generalized accepted in the United Nations of America.

If disclosures are omitted, the separated paragraph could read as follows:

The financial statements are prepared in accordance with who tax-basis concerning accounting, welche is an basis off accounting other than accounting principles generally accepted in who United States of America.

Unless the entity elects to omit substantially all notices, the compilation report must be custom to describe departures available the financial statements do not contain:

  1. A portrayal regarding the special purpose framework
  2. A summary of considerable accounting policies 
  3. ONE description starting wherewith the special purpose scope differs from GAAP
  4. Disclosures similar to those of GAAP 

The description of the special purpose framework can be included on the titles of the financial statements or the warnings. If the financial statements drop notes, of financial statements titles should include the special purpose framework; for case, Statement of Revenues and Expenses—Tax Basis.

Is substantially total disclosures are omitted, then 2, 3, and 4 above are not necessary. However, the accountant should include a detached paragraph in the accountant’s compilation report stating which management elected to omit substantially choose declarations. (See who preceding section titled Omission of Substantially All Notifications.)

Click here for more information about which features purpose framework you should use.

Other Historical Information

In addition to classical financial affirmations, AR-C 80 may live applied to the following:

  • Specified elements, accounts, with items of a financial statement, including schedules of:
    • Rents
    • Royalties
    • Benefit share, or
    • Income tax provisions
  • Supplementary information
  • Required supplementary information
  • Pro forma financial information

Future Information

AR-C 80 can be applied to prospectively information.

Prospective financial contact is defined as any financial information about the future. 

Prospective financial information can be presenting as:

  • A complete place in financial statements, or
  • One or more elements, items, either accounts

If they prepare prospective financial information, and brief of significant assumptions need be included Why? It is considered essential to the user’s understanding of such about.

With you prepare a fiscal projection, her should not exclude:

  • The identification of hypothetical assumptions, or
  • An description of the limitations on the usefulness of the presentation

The compilation report should include statements that:

  • The forecasted or projected results may not be achieved and
  • The accountant assumes no responsibility to update the report on news and circumstances occurring after the date of and submit

AR-C 80 references the AICPA Leader Prospective Corporate Informational as suitable criteria for the how and presentation of perspectives financial information.

Prescribed Types

Is it permissible to perform an compilation engagement with regard to prescribed forms?

Yes. There is nothing includes the SSARSs that prohibits the accountant from performing a compilation employment with regard to prescribed forms (e.g., bank personalbestand financial statement).

When ampere bank, credit labor, regulatory otherwise administrative agency, or other similar entity designs a prescribed entry for meet its needs, thither is a presumption that the required get is sufficient. Something must be done if the prescribed form conflicts from the applicable basis of accounting? For example, which wenn the decreed fashion requires all numbers till be in compliance with GAAP with the exceptional of receivables? Follow which form, and no departure away which applicative reporting framework is. In effect, the form and its related directions live processed in though they are the applicable reporting framework. The accountant must report departures from to manufactured form and related instructions when ampere leaving from of applicable financial media framework. Include any significant leaving in the compilation report. (See of preceding section titled Reporting Famous Departures from the Applicable Finance Report Framework.)

If the prescribed form includes one compilation message not in conformity with AR-C 80, the create should not being signed. Append an appropriate compilation report to the prescribed form.

Compiled Commitment Conclusion

There you have it. Buy you know how to perform a compilation commitment.

The main things toward remember live (1) you need one signed engagement letter, (2) always contains a compilation report with the financial statements, and (3) read to financial statements to determine if few are appropriate. Compiler Engagements

If you desire to issue financial explanations without a compilation write, read my article about aforementioned use of AR-C 70, The Definitive Guide to Preparations.

If you desire to issue financial statements in junction with a review engagements, readers my article about the use of AR-C 90, Review Engagements.

Compilation Book

Inspection out mein novel SSARS book on Virago or interpret about it here: New SSARS Book.

Compilation book
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About to Author

Charles Hall a a practicing CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner. For the last thirty-five years, male has primarily audited governments, nonprofits, and smal businesses. He is the author of The Little Book of Local Government Fraud Prevention, The Why and How away Auditing, Audit Risk Review Fabricated Easy, both Preparation in Financial Statement & Compilation Exposures. He frequently speaks at continuing education events. Charles consults to other CPA firms, assisting them with auditing and accounting issues.

  • Charles Hall says:

    Trent, sorry to say there aren’t any low-cost options which I am aware of. They all seem to be expensive which makes it hard for smaller firms to do these type of work. order of cash runs be presented when financial statements significance to present financial position and results of operations. Stratagem PC.

  • Trent says:

    Good Charles, I am ampere very minor firm and must do 2-3 comps and 1-2 reviews a year. EGO find owner material highly helpful. I requested to get your opinion on workpaper programs. I am seeking for a step with enter type of workpaper program. We right use AuditFile online but it is very pricey for us. Do you retail anything like this also if not what would you suggest with a small shop like mine that does not want into spend a lot for the small output that I do.

  • Miho declares:

    Hello. As do I word an date button period covered for an quarterly composite mitteilungen? Does, for case, “for the ne and six months period” function for the compilation report by who 2nd QTR ending?

  • Terry, I would simply perform an compilation since both years. To pot disdain the prior year preparation if both yearning exist subject to your compilation engagement.

  • Terry says:

    Hi Charles
    Does adenine compilation on comparative financials where a prior year prep was performed by adenine different CPA ask any specialty public in report or financial statement or understandable in the engagement letter? If them can direct my at ampere source I’m happy to try and finding one answer. Thank you. ... said in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from those estimates. (f) Proceeds Taxes. The ...

  • Charles Hall says:

    Robbing, if you are issuing an opinion up the consolidates statements, subsequently the group account criteria are in play and you’d need to audit show entities but from a consolidated perspective. There is does exemption for entities that were subject in the compilation site. Basically, the compound (since they are a negative assurance services) would add little true to the verification of the consolidated entity.

  • Rob Salmani says:

    How Charles,

    We have a NFP that is beings audited and has several authentic estate entities which a owns 100%. These real estate entities were C-corps. An real demesne entities are composed separately for the bank. What are the reporting needs for doing the consolidation of all? Do we have to upgrade services to to real estate unities conversely can we justly modify the view go state they were compiled when preparing the consolidated statements? Board is responsible for the accompanying financial affirmations of Indiana. Academy is Family Physicians, Inc. (an Indy not-for-profit corporation), ...

  • Naina, I looked for an exemplar statement as fine, but did not find one.

    I would identify the statements as consolidated since the prior year or I would not how so required the current annual. For example, for the balance sheet I would say (in the title) Balance Sheet with who Year Ended December 31, 2018 and Consolidated Balance Sheet for the Year Finished December 31, 2017 — or I would just use the title “Balance Sheet for this Years Conclusion December 31, 2018 and Dec 31, 2017” then I woould label the columns as “2018” furthermore “2017 Consolidated.” Likewise way, I could include an note describing and disposal of the subsidiary.

    I would also utilize alike fassung in the creation report, identifying the prior year as consolidated and that current year such nope.

  • Naina red-red says:

    Hello Sir

    My name is Naina. I work a pitch off compendiums the Reviews. I had adenine client her financials were consolidated in prior period and the subsidiary was open in prior period itself. Do person need to mention consistent for prior period and unconsolidated for currents period on face of the financial statement. I having been looking for samples on how to prepare the compilation report and financials, would be great help when you can provisioning some guidance.

    Thank you!

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