3 differences between External Audit and Internal Audit | PwC Australia

External and internal audits are two different types of audits that serve different purposes.

What is an external audit?
An external audit is an independent assessment of a company's financial information and records. It is usually conducted by a certified public accountant (CPA) or a firm that specialises in external audits. The purpose of an external audit is to provide assurance to stakeholders, such as shareholders and creditors, that the company's financial statements are accurate and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations. External audits are typically required by law for publicly traded companies, and they are also commonly used by private companies to improve their financial reporting and attract investors.

What is an internal audit?
Internal audit, on the other hand, is an internal assessment of a company's operations and processes. We assist companies' internal audit departments. The purpose of internal audit is to evaluate the effectiveness of internal controls and ensure that the company's operations are in compliance with internal policies and procedures. Internal audit also helps to identify potential risks and opportunities for improvement in the company's operations. Unlike external audits, internal audits are not mandatory, but they are considered best practice for many companies.

How are external audit and internal audit different?
There are several key differences between external and internal audits.

The first difference is the level of independence. An external audit is conducted by an independent third party (that’s us), while an internal audit is conducted by the company's own employees or internal audit department with help from us. This means that an external audit provides a more objective assessment of a company's financial information and operations, while normally an internal audit is more subjective, but that’s where we come in. We ensure that a company can’t influence the audit with their own agenda.
Another difference between external and internal audits is the scope of the assessment. External audits are focused on financial information and records, and they are usually limited to a specific period of time, such as a year. Internal audits, on the other hand, are focused on the company's overall operations and processes, and they can cover a wide range of topics, such as compliance, risk management, technology and systems and human resources.
A third difference between external and internal audits is the level of detail in the assessment. External audits are usually more detailed and in-depth than internal audits, as they are required to provide assurance to stakeholders that the company's financial statements are accurate and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Internal audits, on the other hand, are more focused on identifying potential risks and opportunities for improvement in the company's operations.

Though often confused or conflated, external and internal audits serve two different purposes. External audits are independent assessments of a company's financial information and records, while internal audits review a company's operations and processes. Both types of audits are important for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of a company's financial information and operations, but they have different levels of scope, and detail in their assessments. It is important for companies to understand the differences between external and internal audits and to use both types of audits to improve their financial reporting and overall operations.