ACCA AA study plan

Map the audit process end-to-end from engagement acceptance to final report, writing a one-page flow diagram from memory

Explain the roles of IFAC/IESBA ethical codes, ISAs, and national oversight bodies in regulating audit

Distinguish the responsibilities of directors, auditors, and those charged with governance in a given scenario

Apply the fundamental principles of ethics (integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, competence, professional behaviour) to three short vignettes

Analyse a set of trial balance figures to identify and justify materiality thresholds (overall and performance)

Draft the planning section of an audit strategy for a fictional trading company, including scope, timing, and direction

Identify and rank audit risks from a short business narrative, linking each risk to an assertion

Explain how inherent, control, and detection risk combine to determine the acceptable level of audit risk

Document the sales and receivables cycle using narrative notes, flowcharts, and a risks-and-controls grid

Identify control weaknesses in a described purchases and payables system and recommend specific controls to address each

Distinguish tests of controls from substantive procedures for a given control

Explain the components of internal control (control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information, monitoring) using examples

Evaluate a described payroll and inventory system to spot segregation-of-duties failures and recommend fixes

Explain how IT general controls and application controls differ, giving one example of each

Assess when the auditor may rely on internal controls versus when substantive testing is required

Describe the purpose and limitations of an internal audit function and how external auditors may use its work

Select appropriate audit procedures (inspection, observation, inquiry, confirmation, recalculation, re-performance, analytical) for specified assertions

Design substantive procedures for inventory existence, receivables valuation, and revenue occurrence

Explain the purpose, reliability hierarchy, and documentation of audit evidence

Describe how to use external confirmations and analytical procedures at the substantive stage

Distinguish types of audit opinion (unmodified, qualified, adverse, disclaimer) and the conditions that trigger each

Identify going-concern indicators from a scenario and state the reporting implications

Explain subsequent-events procedures and how findings affect the audit report

Draft appropriate key audit matters and emphasis-of-matter paragraphs for a given scenario

Explain the purpose and content of the management letter and the auditor's communication with those charged with governance

Describe the auditor's responsibilities for fraud, laws and regulations, and money laundering

Explain the purpose and content of an engagement letter and the procedures for accepting a new client

Review the whole syllabus for gaps and list the three weakest areas to target

Complete a full timed mock exam under exam conditions and self-mark it against the published marking scheme

Re-work every wrong or incomplete answer from the mock, writing out the correct reasoning

Consolidate all domain summaries into a single revision sheet of no more than four pages

Practise at least fifteen multiple-choice and five long-form questions across all domains to build speed