Complying with Sarbanes–Oxley Section 404: A Guide for Small Publicly Held Companies

Once your small, publicly held company has successfully completed its initial implementation of Sarbanes–Oxley Section 404 compliance, it needs to establish an ongoing process to maintain compliance. This requires a workable system in which new employees can be easily trained in compliance rules and regulations, and in which effective internal control evaluation is in place without draining your company′s assets.

Complying with Sarbanes–Oxley Section 404: A Guide for Small Publicly Held Companies provides in–depth guidance and citations from authoritative sources to allow professionals to better distinguish among requirements, suggestions, and guidance. Focusing on proven techniques to make the 404 implementation and annual compliance process more efficient, this book features a step–by–step process for evaluating a company′s internal control and proving these systems are effectively in place.

This hands–on resource is packed with such practice aids as forms, checklists, illustrations, diagrams, and tables to assist anyone who participates in the planning or performance of an evaluation including CFOs, internal auditors, and outside consultants. Clearly and logically organized, Complying with Sarbanes–Oxley Section 404 covers:

• Management′s required assessment of internal control

• Working and coordinating with independent auditors

• Information technology controls

• Understanding fraud risk assessment

• Documenting your planning decisions

• Evaluating the effectiveness of entity–level controls

• Testing and evaluating activity–level controls

• Evaluating control deficiencies

Providing smaller public companies with guidance for understanding and complying with the SOX 404 requirements, this book provides updated citations and references to SEC and PCAOB materials, links to current guidance online, and specific guidance on working with auditors to achieve benefits and cost reductions. It also provides invaluable coverage of IT and IT general controls, and clarifies guidance directed to companies versus guidance directed to auditors.

Filled with specific guidance for small–business compliance to SEC and PCAOB requirements relating to Sarbanes–Oxley 404, Complying with Sarbanes–Oxley Section 404: A Guide for Small Publicly Held Companies provides you with specific guidance on working with auditors to achieve benefits and cost reductions.

This practical guide helps you knowledgeably interpret and conform to Sarbanes–Oxley 404 compliance and features:

• Clear, jargon–free coverage of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act and how it affects you

• Links to current guidance online

• Specific guidance to companies on how to work with auditors to achieve benefits and cost reductions

• Coverage of IT and IT general controls

• Examples and action plans providing blueprints for implementing requirements of the act

• Easy–to–understand coverage of the requirements of the SEC and PCAOB

• Discussion of the requirements for assessing internal control effectiveness

• A look at how the new guidance will reduce your costs

• In–depth explanations to help professionals understand how best to approach the internal control engagement

• Practice aids, including forms, checklists, illustrations, diagrams, and tables

Continuing to evolve and bring about business and cultural change, this area of auditing and corporate governance is demystified in Complying with Sarbanes–Oxley Section 404: A Guide for Small Publicly Held Companies, your must–have, must–own guide to SOX 404 implementation and an effective tool and reference guide for every corporate manager.