Payroll Audit Plan

Company Name: [Your Company Name]
Audit Period: January 1, 2060 - December 31, 2060
Prepared by: [Your Name]
Date: October 10, 2060

1. Audit Objectives

The primary objectives of the payroll audit are to:

Ensure compliance with federal and state payroll regulations.
Verify the accuracy of payroll calculations, including wages, deductions, and net pay.
Identify and correct any discrepancies in payroll records.
Assess the effectiveness of internal controls over payroll processing.
Ensure proper documentation and authorization for all payroll-related transactions.

The audit will encompass the following areas:

Review of payroll policies and procedures.
Examination of payroll records, including employee timesheets, salary schedules, and tax withholdings.
Analysis of payroll software/system controls and data integrity.
Assessment of compliance with labor laws, including overtime regulations and employee classifications.
Review of employee benefits and deductions.

The audit will be conducted using the following methodologies:

Sampling: Randomly select payroll transactions for review to ensure a representative sample of the overall payroll.
Interviews: Conduct interviews with payroll staff and key management personnel to understand the payroll process and identify any areas of concern.
Document Review: Examine payroll-related documents, such as employment contracts, tax filings, and payroll reports.
Testing: Perform substantive testing of payroll calculations, including gross pay, deductions, and net pay.

Activity	Start Date	End Date	Responsible Party
Planning Meeting	January 1, 2060	January 5, 2060	Audit Team Leader
Documentation Gathering	January 6, 2060	January 15, 2060	Audit Team Members
Preliminary Review	January 16, 2060	January 31, 2060	Audit Team Members
Fieldwork Execution	February 1, 2060	February 15, 2060	Audit Team Members
Draft Report Preparation	February 16, 2060	February 28, 2060	Audit Team Leader
Review Meeting with Management	March 1, 2060	March 3, 2060	Audit Team Leader
Final Report Submission	March 4, 2060	March 7, 2060	Audit Team Leader

Evaluate the effectiveness of internal controls over payroll processing, including:

Segregation of Duties: Ensure that payroll preparation (handled by Sarah Lee), approval (John Smith), and disbursement (Finance Department) are managed by separate individuals to reduce risk.
Access Controls: Review access logs to the ADP Payroll System to ensure only authorized personnel can modify payroll data.
Regular Reconciliation: Confirm monthly reconciliations of payroll accounts to bank statements are conducted by the finance team, with a checklist for completeness.

The audit report will include:

Summary of Findings: Document any discrepancies identified during the audit, such as overpayments or missed deductions, and the overall compliance rate with payroll policies.
Detailed Analysis: Provide a breakdown of errors found, with specific examples (e.g., overpayment of $1,500 to Employee A).
Suggested Improvements: Recommendations for payroll processes and controls, such as implementing automated checks in the payroll system.
Follow-Up Actions: Define follow-up actions, such as training for payroll staff on new compliance regulations.

Schedule follow-up meetings to review the implementation of audit recommendations: