In any case, the following steps would be required to conduct an audit:

(i) Ascertain that the balance sheet or statement of affairs as at the beginning of the year should be prepared and all the relevant accounts should be opened in the ledger.

Normally, under the single entry system, cash, bank, and personal accounts are maintained.

(ii) Confirming that all entries on receipt side of the cash book are posted in the ledger, even by opening new account(s) wherever necessary.

(iii) Check that all entries on the payment side of cash book are posted in the ledger.

(iv) Confirming that all entries appearing in bank account are posted in the ledger.

(v) Analyse personal accounts of trade receivables. This will provide vital information regarding credit sales, sales returns, discounts allowed, bills received, bills dishonored, etc. It would be necessary to post such items to relevant accounts, to complete the double entry from the debtor’s accounts.

Similarly, it would be necessary to analyse the trade payable' accounts and post entries relating to credit purchase made, discounts earned, purchases returns, bills payable issued to suppliers, bills payable dishonored, etc., to relevant accounts.

From an auditor's view point, the supervisory controls exercised by the owners are generally less reliable and hence while auditing incomplete records, auditor will largely depend on extensive substantive procedures and obtain external evidence, physical examination/ observation, management representation and perform analytical procedures.