Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Part 2: Practice of Internal Auditing — Question 39

During the quarterly review of the internal audit activity's performance, the chief audit executive (CAE) notes that actual engagement hours consistently exceed the budget. Which of the following strategies would most likely help the CAE address this problem?
The budget should consider time spent on similar engagements.
The budget should consider the proficiency of the assigned auditors.
The budget estimate should provide for unexpected delays.
The budget should be specific as to time for each work assignment.

Answer options

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 4 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 3 and 4 only

Correct answer: B

Explanation

Option B is correct because considering time spent on similar engagements and being specific about time for each work assignment can lead to a more accurate budget that reflects actual needs. Options A, C, and D do not address the fundamental issues of aligning budget estimates with real engagement demands.