Special engagements or special reports are a common AO in the CPA Canada PEP exams and the Common Final Exam (CFE). Candidates are familiar with some of them, such as Attestation engagements to report on compliance (CSAE 3530) and Direct engagements to report on compliance (CSAE 3531), but you may face a new special report on the exam.
Related post: Solving Special Reports in CPA Canada PEP and CFE Exams
Here is a list of all possible special reports you may get, per the CPA Canada Competency Map:
Assurance engagements related to F/S:
• An audit of general-purpose financial statements (CAS 200, 220, 250, 720)
• An audit of financial statements prepared in accordance with special-purpose frameworks (CAS 800)
• An audit of single financial statements and specific elements of a financial statement (CAS 805)
• An engagement to report on summary financial statements (CAS 810)
Other assurance engagements:
• Reporting on controls at a service organization (CSAE 3416)
• Assurance on other matters (i.e., not financial statements or financial information) (5021)
• An audit of internal controls over financial reporting that is integrated with an audit of financial statements (5925)
Review engagements:
• Engagements to review historical financial statements (CSRE 2400)
• Auditor review of interim financial statements (7060)
Other engagements:
• Attestation engagements other than audits or reviews of historical financial statements (CSAE 3000)
• Direct engagements (CSAE 3001)
• Attestation engagements to report on compliance (CSAE 3530)
• Direct engagements to report on compliance (CSAE 3531)
• Compilation engagements (9200, AUG 5)
• Compilation of a financial forecast or projection (AUG 16)
• Reports on the results of applying specified auditing procedures to financial information other than financial statements (CSRS 4400. Note: was called Section 9100 but archived now.)
• Agreed-upon procedures regarding internal control over financial reporting (9110)
• Reports on application of accounting principles (7600)
• Auditor’s involvement with offering documents, including assistance to underwriters and others, consent to use of report, etc. (7150, 7170, 7200, AUG 6)
• Reports on supplementary matters arising from an audit or review engagement (CSRS 4460)
Where can I get study resources for these?
These are discussed mostly in the CPA Canada’s Learning eBook. The eBook’s Assurance chapters cover: CAS 800, 805, 810, CSRE 2400, CSAE 3416, 3530/3531/ 3000/3001.
EBook is a good resource, but it’s not perfect. If you would like more coverage of special reports, with templates and explanations, check out my CAS Notes and the Assurance course.
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