1. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart1 of 122 C HAPTER 12 The Production Cycle

2. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart2 of 122 INTRODUCTION The production cycle is a recurring set of business activities and related data processing operations associated with the manufacture of products.

3. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart3 of 122 Decisions that must be made in the production cycle include: –What mix of products should be produced? –How should products be priced? –How should resources be allocated? –How should costs be managed and performance evaluated? These decisions require cost data well beyond that required for external financial statements.

4. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart4 of 122 PRODUCTION CYCLE ACTIVITIES The four basic activities in the production cycle are: –Product design –Planning and scheduling –Production operations –Cost accounting Accountants are primarily involved in the fourth activity (cost accounting) but must understand the other processes well enough to design an AIS that provides needed information and supports these activities.

5. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart5 of 122 PRODUCT DESIGN The objective of product design is to design a product that strikes the optimal balance of: –Meeting customer requirements for quality, durability, and functionality; and –Minimizing production costs. Simulation software can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of product design.

6. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart6 of 122 PRODUCT DESIGN Key documents and forms in product design: –Bill of Materials: Lists the components that are required to build each product, including part numbers, descriptions,and quantity. –Operations List: Lists the sequence of steps required to produce each product, including the equipment needed and the amount of time required.

7. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart7 of 122 PLANNING AND SCHEDULING The objective of the planning and scheduling activity is to develop a production plan that is efficient enough to meet existing orders and anticipated shorter-term demand while minimizing inventories of both raw materials and finished goods.

8. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart8 of 122 PLANNING AND SCHEDULING Key documents and forms: –Master production schedule Specifies how much of each product is to be produced during the period and when. Uses information about customer orders, sales forecasts, and finished goods inventory levels to determine production levels. Although plans can be modified, production plans must be frozen a few weeks in advance to provide time to procure needed materials and labor. Scheduling becomes significantly more complex as the number of factories increases. Raw materials needs are determined by exploding the bill of materials to determine amount needed for current production. These amounts are compared to available levels to determine amounts to be purchased.

9. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart9 of 122 PLANNING AND SCHEDULING Key documents and forms: –Master production schedule –Production order Authorizes production of a specified quantity of a product. It lists: –Operations to be performed –Quantity to be produced –Location for delivery Also collects data about these activities,

10. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart10 of 122 PLANNING AND SCHEDULING Key documents and forms: –Master production schedule –Production order –Materials requisition Authorizes movement of the needed materials from the storeroom to the factory floor. This document indicates: –Production order number –Date of issue –Part numbers and quantities of raw materials needed (based on data in bill of materials)

11. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart11 of 122 PLANNING AND SCHEDULING Key documents and forms: –Master production schedule –Production order –Materials requisition –Move ticket Documents the transfer of parts and materials throughout the factory.

12. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart12 of 122 PLANNING AND SCHEDULING How can information technology help? –Improve the efficiency of material-handling activities by using: Bar coding of materials to improve speed and accuracy, RFID tags can eliminate human intervention in the scanning process, Up to 40 times faster than using bar-code scanners. Not impeded by dirt. Not limited to reading only those items in line of sight. Much easier to locate needed products and broadcast their location to forklift operators or other warehouse workers.

13. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart13 of 122 PRODUCTION OPERATIONS Production operations vary greatly across companies, depending on the type of product and the degree of automation. The use of various forms of IT, such as robots and computer-controlled machinery is called computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). –Can significantly reduce production costs. Accountants aren’t experts on CIM, but they must understand how it affects the AIS. –One effect is a shift from mass production to custom- order manufacturing and the need to accumulate costs accordingly.

14. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart14 of 122 PRODUCTION OPERATIONS In a lean manufacturing environment, a customer order triggers several actions: –System first checks inventory on hand for sufficiency. –Calculates labor needs and determines whether overtime or temporary help will be needed. –Based on bill of materials, determines what components need to be ordered. Necessary purchase orders are sent via EDI. –The master production schedule is adjusted to include the new order.

15. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart15 of 122 PRODUCTION OPERATIONS Sharing information across cycles helps companies be more efficient by timing purchases to meet the actual demand. Although the nature of production processes and the extent of CIM vary, all companies need data on: –Raw materials used –Labor hours expended –Machine operations performed –Other manufacturing overhead costs incurred

16. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart16 of 122 CONTROL: OBJECTIVES, THREATS, AND PROCEDURES There are several actions a company can take with respect to any cycle to reduce threats of errors or irregularities. These include: –Using simple, easy-to-complete documents with clear instructions (enhances accuracy and reliability). –Using appropriate application controls, such as validity checks and field checks (enhances accuracy and reliability). –Providing space on forms to record who completed and who reviewed the form (encourages proper authorizations and accountability).

17. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart17 of 122 CONTROL: OBJECTIVES, THREATS, AND PROCEDURES –Pre-numbering documents (encourages recording of valid and only valid transactions). –Restricting access to blank documents (reduces risk of unauthorized transaction). –Using RFID tags when feasible to improve data entry accuracy. In the following sections, we’ll discuss the threats that may arise in the four major steps of the production cycle, as well as general threats, EDI-related threats, and threats related to purchases of services.

18. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart18 of 122 THREATS IN PRODUCT DESIGN THREAT NO. 1—Poor product design –Why is this a problem? Higher materials purchasing and carrying costs. Costs for inefficient production. Higher repair and warranty costs. –Controls: Accurate data about the relationship between components and finished goods. Analysis of warranty and repair costs to identify primary causes of product failure to be used in re- designing product. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

19. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart19 of 122 THREATS IN PLANNING AND SCHEDULING THREAT NO. 2—Over- or under-production –Why is this a problem? Over-production may result in: –Excess goods for short-run demand and potential cash flow problems. –Obsolete inventory. Under-production may result in: –Lost sales. –Customer dissatisfaction.

20. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart20 of 122 THREATS IN PLANNING AND SCHEDULING –Controls: More accurate production planning, including accurate and current: –Sales forecasts –Inventory data Investments in production planning. Regular collection of data on production performance to adjust production schedule. Proper authorization of production orders. Restriction of access to production scheduling program. Validity checks on production orders. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

21. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart21 of 122 THREATS IN PLANNING AND SCHEDULING THREAT NO. 3—Suboptimal investment in fixed assets –Why is this a problem? Over-investment causes excess costs. Under-investment impairs productivity. –Controls: Proper authorization of fixed asset transactions: –Larger purchases should be reviewed by a senior executive or executive committee. –Smaller purchases (<$10,000) can be handled with departmental budgets, with managers being held responsible for department return.

22. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart22 of 122 THREATS IN PLANNING AND SCHEDULING –Competitive bids should be sought via requests for proposals (RFPs). »The capital investment committee should review and select the winning bid. –Once a supplier is selected, acquisition may be handled through the expenditure cycle process. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

23. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart23 of 122 THREATS IN PRODUCTION OPERATIONS THREAT NO. 4—Theft of inventories and fixed assets –Why is this a problem? Loss of assets. Misstated financial data. Potential underproduction of inventory. –Controls: Physical access to inventory should be restricted. All internal movement of inventory should be documented.

24. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart24 of 122 THREATS IN PRODUCTION OPERATIONS Materials requisitions should be used to authorize release of raw materials. –Should be signed by both inventory control clerk and production employee to establish accountability. Requests in excess of the bill of materials should be documented and have supervisory authorization. RFID tags and bar codes can be used to track inventory through production.

25. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart25 of 122 THREATS IN PRODUCTION OPERATIONS Proper segregation of duties should be enforced: –Inventory stores has custody of raw materials and finished goods. –Factory supervisors are responsible for work in process. –Authorization of production orders, materials requisitions, and move tickets, should be done by production planners or the information system. Logical and physical access controls should be enforced for production records. An independent party should count inventory and investigate discrepancies. Fixed assets must be identified and recorded.

26. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart26 of 122 THREATS IN PRODUCTION OPERATIONS Managers should be held accountable for assets under their control. Fixed assets should be physically secured. Disposal of assets should be authorized and documented. Periodic reports of fixed asset transactions should be reviewed by the controller. Adequate insurance should be maintained. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

27. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart27 of 122 THREATS IN PRODUCTION OPERATIONS THREAT NO. 5—Disruption of operations –Why is this a problem? Disasters can disrupt functioning and destroy assets –Controls: Backup power sources, such as generators and uninterruptible power supplies. Investigate disaster preparedness of key suppliers and identify alternative sources for critical components. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

28. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart28 of 122 THREATS IN COST ACCOUNTING THREAT 6—Inaccurate recording and processing of production activity data –Why is this a problem? Diminishes effectiveness of production scheduling. Undermines management’s ability to monitor and control operations. –Controls: Automate data collection with RFID technology, bar code scanners, and badge readers to ensure accurate data entry.

29. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart29 of 122 THREATS IN COST ACCOUNTING Use online terminals for data entry. Restrict access with passwords, user IDs, and access control matrices to prevent unauthorized changes to data. Use check digits, closed-loop verification, and validity checks. Do periodic physical counts of inventory and compare to records. Do periodic inspections and counts of fixed assets. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

30. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart30 of 122 GENERAL THREATS Two general objectives pertain to activities in every cycle: –Accurate data should be available when needed. –Activities should be performed efficiently and effectively.

31. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart31 of 122 GENERAL THREATS THREAT NO. 7: Loss, alteration, or unauthorized disclosure of data –Why is this a problem? Loss or alteration of data could cause: –Errors in external or internal reporting. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information can cause: –Unfair competition –Loss of business

32. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart32 of 122 GENERAL THREATS Controls: –All data files and key master files should be backed up regularly. At least one backup on site and one offsite. –All disks and tapes should have external and internal file labels to reduce chance of accidentally erasing important data. –Promptly, remove all access rights of employees who quit or are fired

33. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart33 of 122 GENERAL THREATS –Access controls should be utilized: User IDs and passwords. Compatibility matrices. Controls for individual terminals (e.g., so the receiving dock can’t enter a sales order). Logs of all activities, particularly those requiring specific authorizations, should be maintained. –Default settings on ERP systems usually allow users far too much access to data, so these systems must be modified to enforce proper segregation of duties.

34. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart34 of 122 GENERAL THREATS –Sensitive data should be encrypted in storage and in transmission. –Parity checks, acknowledgment messages, and control totals should be used to ensure transmission accuracy. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

35. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart35 of 122 GENERAL THREATS THREAT NO. 8—Poor performance –Why is this a problem? Quality control problems increase expenses and reduce future sales. –Controls: Prepare and review performance reports. Return to Threat Menu Return to Threat Menu Go to Next Threat Go to Next Threat

36. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart36 of 122 PRODUCTION CYCLE INFORMATION NEEDS In a manufacturing environment, the focus must be on total quality management. Managers need info on: –Defect rates –Breakdown frequency –Percent of finished goods needing rework –Percent of defects discovered by customers

37. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart37 of 122 PRODUCTION CYCLE INFORMATION NEEDS In traditional systems, this type of data was not well linked with financial data, and cost accounting systems were separate from production operations information systems. However, both financial and operating information are needed to manage and evaluate these activities.

38. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart38 of 122 PRODUCTION CYCLE INFORMATION NEEDS Two major criticisms have been directed at traditional cost accounting systems: –Overhead costs are inappropriately allocated to products. –Reports do not accurately reflect effects of factory automation.

39. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart39 of 122 THROUGHPUT: A MEASURE OF PRODUCTION EFFECTIVENESS Throughput = Productive Capacity x Productive Processing Time x Yield –Productive Capacity = Total Units Produced / Processing Time Can be improved by: –Improving machine or labor efficiency. –Improving factory layout. –Simplifying product design specifications.

40. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart40 of 122 THROUGHPUT: A MEASURE OF PRODUCTION EFFECTIVENESS Throughput = Productive Capacity x Productive Processing Time x Yield –Productive Capacity = Total Units Produced / Processing Time –Productive Processing Time = Processing Time / Total Time The opposite of downtime. Can be improved by: –Better maintenance to reduce machine downtime. –Better scheduling of deliveries to reduce wait time.

41. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart41 of 122 THROUGHPUT: A MEASURE OF PRODUCTION EFFECTIVENESS Throughput = Productive Capacity x Productive Processing Time x Yield –Productive Capacity = Total Units Produced / Processing Time –Productive Processing Time = Processing Time / Total Time –Yield = Good Units / Total Units Can be improved by: –Using better raw materials. –Improving worker skills.

42. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart42 of 122 THROUGHPUT: A MEASURE OF PRODUCTION EFFECTIVENESS Throughput = Productive Capacity x Productive Processing Time x Yield –Productive Capacity = Total Units Produced / Processing Time –Productive Processing Time = Processing Time / Total Time –Yield = Good Units / Total Units EXAMPLE: Manster Co. produced 1,000 bottles of Zithmowash in a 10-hour period. During this period there was a total of 1 hour of machine downtime and waiting time for materials. One hundred of the bottles were defective. –PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY = 1,000 bottles / 9 productive hours = 111.11 bottles / hour. –PRODUCTIVE PROCESSING TIME = 9 productive hours / 10 total hours =.90. –YIELD = 900 good units / 1,000 total units =.90 –THROUGHPUT = 111.11 x.90 x.90 = 90

43. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart43 of 122 QUALITY CONTROL Information about quality control –Quality control costs can be divided into four categories : Prevention costs Costs incurred to reduce product defect rates.

44. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart44 of 122 QUALITY CONTROL Information about quality control –Quality control costs can be divided into four categories : Prevention costs Inspection costs Costs incurred to ensure products meet quality standards.

45. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart45 of 122 QUALITY CONTROL Information about quality control –Quality control costs can be divided into four categories : Prevention costs Inspection costs Internal failure costs Costs of rework and scrap when products are identified as defective prior to sale.

46. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart46 of 122 QUALITY CONTROL Information about quality control –Quality control costs can be divided into four categories : Prevention costs Inspection costs Internal failure costs External failure costs Costs when defective products are sold to customers, e.g., warranty and repair costs, product liability costs, costs of customer dissatisfaction, and damage to reputation.

47. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart47 of 122 QUALITY CONTROL Information about quality control –Quality control costs can be divided into four categories : Prevention costs Inspection costs Internal failure costs External failure costs –The objective of quality control is to minimize the sum of these four costs. Some companies have found that the most important management decision involves switching from the traditional "management by exception" philosophy to a "continuous improvement" viewpoint. Continuous improvement focuses on comparing actual performance to the ideal (i.e., perfection).

48. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart48 of 122 C HAPTER 13 The Human Resources Management and Payroll Cycle

49. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart49 of 122 INTRODUCTION The more important tasks performed in the HRM/payroll cycle are: –Recruiting and hiring new employees –Training –Job assignment –Compensation (payroll) –Performance evaluation –Discharge of employees (voluntarily or involuntarily) Payroll costs are also allocated to products and departments for use in product pricing and mix decisions.

50. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart50 of 122 INTRODUCTION The most important tasks performed in the HRM/payroll cycle are: –Recruiting and hiring new employees –Training –Job assignment –Compensation (payroll) –Performance evaluation –Discharge of employees (voluntarily or involuntarily) Payroll costs are also allocated to products and departments for use in product pricing and mix decisions. These two tasks are normally done only once for each employee.

51. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart51 of 122 INTRODUCTION The most important tasks performed in the HRM/payroll cycle are: –Recruiting and hiring new employees –Training –Job assignment –Compensation (payroll) –Performance evaluation –Discharge of employees (voluntarily or involuntarily) Payroll costs are also allocated to products and departments for use in product pricing and mix decisions. These tasks are done repeatedly as long as the employee works for the company.

52. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart52 of 122 INTRODUCTION The most important tasks performed in the HRM/payroll cycle are: –Recruiting and hiring new employees –Training –Job assignment –Compensation (payroll) –Performance evaluation –Discharge of employees (voluntarily or involuntarily) Payroll costs are also allocated to products and departments for use in product pricing and mix decisions. In most companies these six activities are split between a payroll system and an HRM system.

53. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart53 of 122 INTRODUCTION The most important tasks performed in the HRM/payroll cycle are: –Recruiting and hiring new employees –Training –Job assignment –Compensation (payroll) –Performance evaluation –Discharge of employees (voluntarily or involuntarily) Payroll costs are also allocated to products and departments for use in product pricing and mix decisions. The payroll system handles compensation and comes under the purview of the controller.

54. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart54 of 122 INTRODUCTION The most important tasks performed in the HRM/payroll cycle are: –Recruiting and hiring new employees –Training –Job assignment –Compensation (payroll) –Performance evaluation –Discharge of employees (voluntarily or involuntarily) Payroll costs are also allocated to products and departments for use in product pricing and mix decisions. The HRM system handles the other five tasks and comes under the purview of the director of human resources.

55. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart55 of 122 INTRODUCTION The design of the HRM system is also important because the knowledge and skills of employees are valuable assets, so HRM systems should: –Help assign these assets to appropriate tasks; and –Help monitor their continuous development.

56. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart56 of 122 INTRODUCTION There are five major sources of input to the payroll system: –HRM department provides information about hiring, terminations, and pay-rate changes. –Employees provide changes in discretionary deductions (e.g., optional life insurance). –Various departments provide data about the actual hours worked by employees. –Government agencies provide tax rates and regulatory instructions. –Insurance companies and other organizations provide instructions for calculating and remitting various withholdings.

57. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart57 of 122 INTRODUCTION Principal outputs of the payroll system are checks: –Employees receive individual paychecks. –A payroll check is sent to the bank to transfer funds from the company’s regular account to its payroll account. –Checks are issued to government agencies, insurance companies, etc., to remit employee and employer taxes, insurance premiums, union dues, etc. The payroll system also produces a variety of reports.

58. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart58 of 122 PAYROLL CYCLE ACTIVITIES Let’s take a look at payroll cycle activities. The payroll application is processed in batch mode because: –Paychecks are issued periodically. –Most employees are paid at the same time.

59. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart59 of 122 PAYROLL CYCLE ACTIVITIES The seven basic activities in the payroll cycle are: –Update payroll master file –Update tax rates and deductions –Validate time and attendance data –Prepare payroll –Disburse payroll –Calculate employer-paid benefits and taxes –Disburse payroll taxes and miscellaneous deductions

60. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart60 of 122 CONTROL: OBJECTIVES, THREATS, AND PROCEDURES In the HRM/payroll cycle (or any cycle), a well-designed AIS should provide adequate controls to ensure that the following objectives are met: –All transactions are properly authorized –All recorded transactions are valid –All valid and authorized transactions are recorded –All transactions are recorded accurately –Assets are safeguarded from loss or theft –Business activities are performed efficiently and effectively –The company is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations –All disclosures are full and fair

61. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart61 of 122 CONTROL: OBJECTIVES, THREATS, AND PROCEDURES There are several actions a company can take with respect to any cycle to reduce threats of errors or irregularities. These include: –Using simple, easy-to-complete documents with clear instructions (enhances accuracy and reliability). –Using appropriate application controls, such as validity checks and field checks (enhances accuracy and reliability). –Providing space on forms to record who completed and who reviewed the form (encourages proper authorizations and accountability).

62. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart62 of 122 CONTROL: OBJECTIVES, THREATS, AND PROCEDURES –Pre-numbering documents (encourages recording of valid and only valid transactions). –Restricting access to blank documents (reduces risk of unauthorized transaction).

63. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart63 of 122 CONTROL: OBJECTIVES, THREATS, AND PROCEDURES Following is a discussion of threats to the HRM/payroll system, organized around three areas: –Employment practices –Payroll processing –General control issues

64. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart64 of 122 THREATS IN EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES THREAT 1: Hiring unqualified or larcenous employees –Why is this a problem? Can increase production expenses. Can result in theft of assets. Can result in civil and criminal penalties for the company (e.g., if an employee attempts to make a bribe). –Controls: State skill qualifications for each position explicitly in the position control report. Ask candidates to sign a statement confirming the accuracy of the information on their application.

65. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart65 of 122 THREATS IN EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES THREAT 2: Violation of employment law –Why is this a problem? Can result in stiff government penalties as well as civil suits. –Controls: Carefully document all actions relating to advertising, recruiting, hiring new employees, and dismissal of employees, to demonstrate compliance. Provide employees with continual training to keep them current with employment law.

66. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart66 of 122 THREATS IN PAYROLL PROCESSING THREAT 3: Unauthorized changes to the payroll master file –Why is this a problem? Can increase expenses if wages, salaries, commissions, or base rates are falsified. Can result in inaccurate reporting and erroneous decisions.

67. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart67 of 122 THREATS IN PAYROLL PROCESSING THREAT 4: Inaccurate time data –Why is this a problem? Can result in payments for services not rendered. Inaccurate or missing checks can damage employee morale. Can result in inaccurate labor reporting.

68. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart68 of 122 THREATS IN PAYROLL PROCESSING THREAT 5: Inaccurate processing of payroll –Why is this a problem? Errors damage employee morale, especially if they cause late paychecks. Penalties can accrue if: –Proper payroll taxes are not remitted to the government. –Court-ordered paycheck garnishments are not made appropriately.

69. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart69 of 122 THREATS IN PAYROLL PROCESSING THREAT 6: Theft or fraudulent distribution of paychecks –Why is this a problem? Payments may be made to fictitious (ghost) or terminated employees, resulting in: –Increased expenses –Loss of cash –Controls: Restrict access to blank payroll checks and check signing machine. All checks should be sequentially pre-numbered and accounted for periodically.

70. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart70 of 122 GENERAL THREATS THREAT 7: Loss, alteration, or unauthorized disclosure of data –Why is this a problem? Loss or alteration of payroll data can result in delayed and/or inaccurate paychecks and reports. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential employee data can violate state and federal laws and damage employee morale.

71. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart71 of 122 GENERAL THREATS THREAT 8: Poor performance –Why is this a problem? May damage employee relations. Reduces profitability. –Controls: Prepare and review performance reports.

72. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart72 of 122 KEY DECISIONS AND INFORMATION NEEDS The payroll system should be integrated with cost data and HR information so management can make decisions with respect to the following types of issues: –Future work force staffing needs –Employee performance –Employee morale –Payroll processing efficiency and effectiveness

73. © 2008 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 11/e Romney/Steinbart73 of 122 KEY DECISIONS AND INFORMATION NEEDS Benefits of an integrated HRM/payroll model: –Access to current, accurate information about employee skills and knowledge. –HRM activities can be performed more efficiently and costs reduced. EXAMPLE: Employment application terminals in Wal-Mart. –Recruiting costs can be reduced, when applicant data is electronically accessible.