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Auditors must comply with and understand AU-C sections. (AU-C 200.20 and .21) AU-C Section 200.25-26 clarifies that the SASs use two categories of professional requirements to describe the degree of responsibility the standards impose on auditors.

1. Unconditional requirements.The auditor is required to comply with an unconditional requirement in all cases in which the circumstances exist to which the unconditional requirement applies. SASs use the word must to indicate an unconditional requirement.

2. Presumptively mandatory requirements. The auditor is also required to comply with a presumptively mandatory requirement in all circumstances where the presumptively mandatory requirement exists and applies. However, in rare circumstances, the auditor may depart from a presumptively mandatory requirement. The departure should only relate to a specific procedure when the auditors determine that the procedure would be ineffective in the specific circumstances. The auditors must document their justification for the departure and how the alternative procedures performed in the circumstances were sufficient to achieve the objectives of the presumptively mandatory requirement. GAAS use the word should to indicate a presumptively mandatory requirement.

(AU-C 200.25-.26)

The term should consider means that the consideration of the procedure or action is presumptively required, whereas carrying out the procedure or action is not.

AU-C Section 200 also clarifies that explanatory material is intended to explain the objective of the professional requirements, rather than imposing a professional requirement for the auditor to perform.

GAAS and the GAAS Hierarchy

The auditor is responsible for planning, conducting, and reporting the results of an audit according to GAAS.3 GAAS provide the standards for the auditors' work in fulfilling their objectives. Each AU-C section contains objectives that provide a link between the requirements and the overall objectives of the auditors. Auditors should have sufficient knowledge of the AU-C sections to determine when they apply and should be prepared to justify departures from them.

Interpretive Publications

Interpretive publications are not auditing standards, but are recommendations, issued under the authority of the ASB, on how to apply the SASs in specific circumstances, including engagements for entities in specialized industries. Interpretive publications are not auditing standards. They consist of the following:

● Auditing Interpretations of SASs, listed in each chapter of this book that has a related Interpretation.

● AICPA Audit and Accounting Guides and Statements of Position, listed in Appendix B of this book.

(AU-C 200.A81)

Auditors should consider interpretive publications that apply to their audits.

Other Auditing Publications

Other auditing publications, listed in Appendix C of this book, are not authoritative but may help auditors to understand and apply SASs. An auditor should evaluate such guidance to determine whether it is both (1) relevant for a particular engagement and (2) appropriate for the particular situation. When evaluating whether the guidance is appropriate, the auditor should consider whether the publication is recognized as helpful in understanding and applying SASs, and whether the author is recognized as an auditing authority. AICPA auditing publications that have been reviewed by the AICPA Audit and Attest Standards staff are presumed to be appropriate. (AU-C 200.A84)