Going concern is an important knowledge point of F8.Going concern這一知識點，涉及財務報表編制的基本理念、管理層責任和審計師責任的區別、實質性審計程序以及審計意見和審計報告。楷博財經ACCA講師將就going concern進行解讀，希望可以幫助大家更好地理解going concern。
基本定義
Under the going concern assumption, the entity isviewed as continuing in business for the foreseeable future.
在持續經營假設下，企業被認為在可預見的將來能夠商業經營存在。
這一定義，對財務報表的編制有兩大重要意義：
1） The concept ofgoing concern is an underlying assumption in the preparation of financialstatements.持續經營是財務報表編制的一個基本假定。If the entity hasneither the intention, nor the need, to liquidate or curtail materially thescale of its operations,那麼就應按 going concern basis 編制報表；反之亦然：如果企業按 going concern basis 編制報表，那麼企業就是「neither the intention, northe need, to liquidate or curtail materially the scale of its operations」
2） Ifmanagement conclude that the entity has no alternative but to liquidate orcurtail materially the scale of its operations, the going concern basis cannotbe used and the financial statements must be prepared on a different basis (suchas the 『break-up』 basis).
相反，如果管理層認為企業不能 going concern, 那麼企業就不能按going concern 編制報表，就應選擇其他basis, 如 break-up basis 編制報表。(對break-up basis，在此不做詳細解讀)
管理層責任和審計師責任
For management:
1) it is the responsibility of management to make anassessment of whether the going concern presumption is appropriate, or not,when they are preparing the financial statements.
對going concern, 管理層首要責任體現在判斷評估以going concern編制報表是否恰當。
2）management will have to make judgments on various uncertain futureoutcomes of events or conditions; identify factors that may have an impact onan entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.
管理層要判斷評估以going concern編制報表是否恰當，就要去識別判斷影響going concern 的一些因素，比如：
inability to pay dividends to shareholders
major losses or cash flow difficulties that havearisen since the reporting date
adverse key financial ratios
indications of withdrawal of financial support fromthe bank or other financial institutions
negative operating cash flows
這要因素要明確的一點就是：基本都是和 cash flow 相關的；因為能不能going concern，主要直接的影響來自於現金流，而不是盈利能力。
3) If there are any material uncertainties relating tothe going concern assumption, then management must make adequate going concerndisclosures in the financial statements.
如果management判斷企業能going concern,但存在重大不確定性，就可以按going concern 編制報表但要對重大不確定事項充分披露。
For auditors:
1)obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence aboutthe appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern assumption in thepreparation of the financial statements
獲得關於用going concern basis 編制報表是否充分的適當證據
2)conclude whether there is a material uncertainty aboutthe entity’s ability to continue as a going concern
識別認定是否有影響going concern的重大不確定事項
3)Consider the implication for the audit report
如上證據獲得後，看看其對audit opinion 和audit report 的影響
實質性審計程序
如上提到，審計師要獲得sufficient appropriate audit evidence,那麼怎麼獲得？
-Analyse and discuss cash flow, profit and other relevant forecasts with managementto ascertain the reasonableness of preparing them
-Review the terms of debentures and loan agreements and determining whether any have been
breached.
-Read minutes of the meetings of shareholders, the board of directors for reference to financing
difficulties.
-Review correspondence with the bank for indication that a bankloan or overdraft may
be recalled.
如上substantive procedures 是最為直接有效的，因為他們能深入企業具體事項和經營，一針見血的直指企業的cash flowerproblem.
其他的審計程序，如：
discussions with management/directors』 and 『obtaininga written representation』 也可起到補充作用。
對審計意見和審計報告的影響
可以分為四類情況處理（當然也可以用其他歸類方法）：
-use of the going concern assumption is appropriate, no materialuncertainties exists
Thenunmodified opinion, unmodified report.發表unmodified審計意見, unmodified 的審計報告
-use of the going concern assumption isappropriate but a material uncertainty exists
Theauditor will consider the adequacy of the disclosures made in the financialstatements by management. If the auditor considers the disclosures to beadequate, then the audit report will be modified by the inclusion of anEmphasis of Matter paragraph.如果重大不確定事項披露充分，發表帶有強調事項段的modified審計報告。
If theauditor concludes that the disclosures are inadequate, or if management havenot made any disclosure at all and management refuse to remedy the situation,the opinion will be qualified or adverse. Then a paragraph explaining the basisfor the qualified or adverse opinion will be included如果重大不確定事項未披露充分，發表qualified 或adverse 審計意見。
-use of the going concern assumption isinappropriate
Then ifthe Fs are prepared based on other appropriate basis, like break-up basis,unmodified opinion and modified report;
If theFs are prepared based on going concern basis, the auditor must express anadverse opinion. An adverse opinion states that the financial statements do notpresent fairly (or give a true and fair view). 如果going concern basis不適當，則發表adverse 審計意見。
-management unwilling to make or extendits assessment.
The auditorwill consider the implications for the report, either qualified opinion ordisclaimer of opinion depending on whether the issues are material notpervasive or material and pervasive. There are situations that may arise whenthe auditor may request management to make an assessment, or extend theiroriginal assessment of going concern and management refuse to make, or extend,an assessment of going concern.當對going concern無法獲得sufficient appropriate 證據時，發表qualified opinion或disclaimer of opinion.
Going concern 雖是一個小的知識點，但透過它，我們可以串聯審計知識的諸多方面。楷博君希望以此穿針引線，通過窺一斑而見全豹的手法，讓大家在理解going concern的基礎上，加強對F8 的知識體系的掌握，希望對大家備考有所幫助。