Training Course: Internal Audit on Revenue, Expenses, and Expenditures in the Public Sector (10 Days)

Introduction

Government institutions depend on accurate revenue collection and disciplined spending to deliver public services. Internal auditors sit at the centre of this effort: they test whether revenue is fully collected and recorded, whether expenses and capital expenditures follow approved budgets and procurement rules, and whether controls are strong enough to prevent error, waste and fraud.

This extended ten-day programme gives public sector internal auditors the time to go deeper than an introductory course. Participants work through the full audit cycle for revenue, operating expenses and capital expenditure, from planning and risk assessment to fieldwork, analytics, reporting and follow-up, with practical exercises and case studies throughout.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the role of internal audit in public financial management, governance and accountability.
• Plan risk-based audits of government revenue, operating expenses and capital expenditure.
• Evaluate the design and effectiveness of internal controls over collection, payment and procurement processes.
• Apply sampling, analytical procedures and data analytics to test the accuracy and completeness of financial transactions.
• Recognise fraud indicators in revenue and expenditure cycles and respond appropriately.
• Assess value for money and budget compliance in public spending.
• Prepare clear audit reports with practical recommendations and track their implementation.

Course Outlines

Day 1: Internal Audit in Public Financial Management

• The role and mandate of internal audit in government institutions.
• Public financial management cycle: budgeting, collection, spending and reporting.
• Governance, transparency and accountability principles in the public sector.
• Legal and regulatory frameworks that govern public funds and their audit.

Day 2: Professional Standards and Audit Planning

• International internal audit standards and their application in government.
• Building an annual risk-based audit plan for financial operations.
• Defining engagement scope, objectives and criteria.
• Understanding the auditee: process mapping and walkthroughs.

Day 3: Government Revenue Sources and Collection Risks

• Types of government revenue: taxes, fees, fines, grants and investment income.
• Revenue recognition and recording in public sector accounting.
• Key risks: under-collection, leakage, misclassification and delayed deposits.
• Controls over billing, receipting, cash handling and reconciliation.

Day 4: Auditing Revenue in Practice

• Designing audit programmes for revenue streams.
• Testing completeness and accuracy of collections and arrears.
• Reviewing exemptions, waivers, refunds and write-offs.
• Case study: auditing a fees and charges collection process.

Day 5: Public Expenses and Budget Execution

• Classification of operating expenses in government budgets.
• Commitment, verification and payment controls.
• Auditing payroll, allowances and personnel costs.
• Monitoring budget execution, transfers and overspending.

Day 6: Procurement and Capital Expenditure Audit

• Procurement rules, tendering stages and common red flags.
• Auditing contracts, variations and supplier payments.
• Capital projects: planning, progress certification and asset recognition.
• Case study: reviewing a public works project from award to completion.

Day 7: Internal Controls and Risk Management

• Control frameworks and their use in assessing financial controls.
• Identifying and rating financial risks across revenue and expenditure cycles.
• Segregation of duties, authorisation limits and IT application controls.
• Recommending proportionate controls to address identified gaps.

Day 8: Fraud Risk, Sampling and Data Analytics

• Common fraud schemes in collection, payroll, procurement and payments.
• Audit sampling methods and evaluating sample results.
• Analytical procedures and data analytics for exception testing.
• Gathering and documenting sufficient, reliable audit evidence.

Day 9: Performance and Value-for-Money Review

• Assessing economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public spending.
• Developing performance indicators for revenue and expenditure functions.
• Linking audit findings to institutional objectives and outcomes.
• Workshop: evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a public programme.

Day 10: Audit Reporting, Follow-Up and Continuous Improvement

• Structuring findings: condition, criteria, cause, effect and recommendation.
• Writing concise reports and communicating results to senior management.
• Tracking implementation of recommendations and corrective actions.
• Capstone exercise: preparing a complete revenue and expenditure audit report.

Why Attend this Course: Wins & Losses!

• Cover the full audit cycle for revenue, expenses and capital expenditure in one programme.
• Build practical skills through case studies, workshops and a capstone report.
• Strengthen your ability to detect control weaknesses and fraud risks in public funds.
• Learn to add value through performance and value-for-money insights, not only compliance checks.
• Advance your professional standing in public sector internal audit and financial governance.

Conclusion

This ten-day course from Blackbird Training Center equips public sector internal auditors with an in-depth, practical command of auditing government revenue, expenses and expenditures. Participants leave ready to plan risk-based audits, test controls with confidence and deliver reports that improve how public money is collected and spent.