A Misstatement is Inconsequential
Financial Dictionary — Auditing
Definition
If a reasonable person would conclude after considering the possibility of further undetected misstatements that the misstatement either individually or when aggregated with other misstatements would clearly be immaterial to the financial statements. If a reasonable person could not reach such a conclusion regarding a particular misstatement, that misstatement is more than inconsequential.
Detailed Explanation
An inconsequential misstatement is clearly trivial, even when combined with possible undetected misstatements. Auditors may use a threshold for “clearly trivial” items that do not require accumulation for evaluation.
Common Uses
- Used in audit planning to understand risks and design procedures.
- Used during testing (controls/substantive) and documentation of audit evidence and conclusions.
- Used during testing (controls/substantive) and documentation of audit evidence and conclusions.
Practical Example
- Example: The auditor references **A Misstatement is Inconsequential** when designing procedures and documenting conclusions in the audit file.
Why This Term Matters
- Why it matters: Supports high-quality, defensible audit conclusions and helps detect material misstatements and control weaknesses.