Internal Check in Accounting

Study Notes

Internal check involves organizing staff duties in a way that one person's work is reviewed by another, aiding in fraud and error prevention.
It is part of the internal control system, ensuring daily transaction checks without creating extra financial burdens.
Spicer and Pegler define it as an arrangement preventing a single person from completing and recording every aspect of a transaction, thereby reducing fraud and errors.
De Pallia likens internal check to a continuous internal audit conducted by staff.
Prof. L.R. Dicksee emphasizes that internal check arrangements prevent or detect errors and fraud through book-keeping operations.
D.R. Davar highlights its role in controlling and verifying work while maintaining accurate records.

Sufficient Staff: Adequate staff should be appointed according to workload to avoid overloading, ensuring proper distribution of responsibilities.
Division of Work: Work should be divided among departments, with managers accountable for timely completion.
Coordination: Managers must coordinate efforts; failures in one area impact the overall organizational objectives.
Rotation of Duties: Rotating responsibilities prevents boredom and enhances efficiency through exposure to different tasks.
Responsibility: Clearly defined roles and responsibilities ensure accountability and minimize overlap.
Automatic Machines: Utilize technology to enhance efficiency, limit fraud opportunities, and improve accuracy.
Checking: Continuous checks are vital, as work passes through multiple hands, reducing errors and fraud likelihood.
Simplicity: The internal check system should be straightforward, enabling staff to understand their roles easily.
Documents Classification: Proper documentation, indexing, and filing streamline data management and retrieval.
Dependent Work: Tasks should be structured so that completion relies on inputs from multiple employees.

Allocate duties so individuals are accountable for specific areas, facilitating error tracking.
Minimize the risk of errors and fraud through systematic checks.
Enhance clerks' efficiency through division of labor.
Ensure all transactions are recorded to maintain accurate financial statements.
Simplify final account preparations, making them more reliable.
Foster moral accountability among staff.
Prevent misappropriation of cash or goods.

Owners benefit through reliable account management, responsible accounting systems, and economical operations.
Auditors can streamline their processes and focus on significant issues by relying on efficient internal check systems.
Eases graphic assignment of duties, error detection, and leads to increased profitability through organized operations.

Counter Sales Book: Sales staff should not handle cash; transactions recorded through cash memos with receipts handed to a cashier.
Cash Register: Must maintain security and secrecy in operations, functioning independently from employees’ interference.
Checking Copies: Auditors can utilize carbon copies of cash sales to verify totals over specified periods.
Receipt of Goods: Cash memos accompany goods handed to customers, ensuring traceability of sales.