Statement of Auditing Standard (SAS) 410 requires auditors toapply analytical procedures at the planning and overall review stages of the audit. This paper reports on a questionnaire completed by audit partners in the United Kingdom (UK), investigating their usage of analytical procedures in the external audit. Results suggest that analytical procedures are used extensively in practice, particularly by Big 6 and large firms. However, simple techniques continue to dominate practice, particularly in smaller firms, and are considered effective by UK practitioners. This is surprising given that increased use of computers, which should make sophisticated techniques more cost-effective, is rated highly as an influence on the increased use of analytical procedures. The risk-based approach to audit is perceived by most respondents as the main factor promoting usage of analytical techniques. Increasingly, practitioners are relying on the results of analytical techniques to justify lower levels of detailed testing.The results of this survey indicate that, increasingly, auditors are willing to rely on the results of analytical procedures, when favourable, to justify a reduction in levels of detailed testing, consistent with drives for greater audit efficiency. The audit environment is perceived to influence the balance between detailed testing and analytical procedures -the length of engagement and the client's internal control structure are factors which have a strong influence on this balance. Whilst technology is perceived as an important influence on the usage of analytical procedures, this research demonstrates that simple techniques continue to dominate, and are perceived as effective. There is some usage of statistical techniques, particularly at the substantive testing stage, and by Big 6 firms. Big 6 auditors view lack of expertise as the primary impediment to greater usage of statistical techniques, indicating a potential skills gap.In summary, our results demonstrate that analytical procedures play an increasingly important role in the external audit. Further research exploring their use at the substantive testing stage, including the role of external and non-financial information, would be useful. In addition, where statistical techniques are applied in practice, issues relating to their effectiveness and efficiency could be examined. PRIOR RESEARCHFactors which influence the use of analytical procedures in practice are of interest to practi-

Statement of Auditing Standard (SAS) 410 requires auditors toapply analytical procedures at the planning and overall review stages of the audit. This paper reports on a questionnaire completed by audit partners in the United Kingdom (UK), investigating their usage of analytical procedures in the external audit. Results suggest that analytical procedures are used extensively in practice, particularly by Big 6 and large firms. However, simple techniques continue to dominate practice, particularly in smaller firms, and are considered effective by UK practitioners. This is surprising given that increased use of computers, which should make sophisticated techniques more cost-effective, is rated highly as an influence on the increased use of analytical procedures. The risk-based approach to audit is perceived by most respondents as the main factor promoting usage of analytical techniques. Increasingly, practitioners are relying on the results of analytical techniques to justify lower levels of detailed testing.The results of this survey indicate that, increasingly, auditors are willing to rely on the results of analytical procedures, when favourable, to justify a reduction in levels of detailed testing, consistent with drives for greater audit efficiency. The audit environment is perceived to influence the balance between detailed testing and analytical procedures -the length of engagement and the client's internal control structure are factors which have a strong influence on this balance. Whilst technology is perceived as an important influence on the usage of analytical procedures, this research demonstrates that simple techniques continue to dominate, and are perceived as effective. There is some usage of statistical techniques, particularly at the substantive testing stage, and by Big 6 firms. Big 6 auditors view lack of expertise as the primary impediment to greater usage of statistical techniques, indicating a potential skills gap.In summary, our results demonstrate that analytical procedures play an increasingly important role in the external audit. Further research exploring their use at the substantive testing stage, including the role of external and non-financial information, would be useful. In addition, where statistical techniques are applied in practice, issues relating to their effectiveness and efficiency could be examined. PRIOR RESEARCHFactors which influence the use of analytical procedures in practice are of interest to practi-

The increasing complexity of the financial world, and high levels of losses in the late 1980s and early 1990s, have led the banking sector to question the effectiveness of traditional techniques used to assess the risks inherent in commercial loans - that is, commercial risk. This paper describes the problems associated with theoretical models developed to detect future business failure, namely their emphasis on financial data and their consequent inability to represent the reality of the process of assessing bank commercial risk. It then outlines the development and structure of COMPASS, the Bank of Scotland’s lending adviser expert system which has succeeded in capturing and modelling the inherent risk of the Bank of Scotland’s lending process.