AAT software still not working properly

AAT students are continuing to claim that the Q2022 software is still ‘not fit for purpose’.

One student who has sat three exams has had major technical issues with all of them! They have now given up their course.

We have heard of several recent sitters experiencing problems with their cursor in the Level 4 audit exam. As one sitter said: “I had issues typing again, and the cursor was all over the place. Could not copy and paste either.”

Another student who had technical issues sitting INAC back in February recently sat

DAIF and lost all their work. They explained: “The exam went really well until I came to submit. The system timed out and when it restarted all of my answers had gone. Looks like I’ll have to re-sit but need to wait six weeks to do so.”

Students have also started to question AAT’s claim that just 3% of sitters have been affected. “It cannot be true,” said one disgruntled student.

KPMG sanctioned

You must have ‘no one else around’

Yet more ACCA students have been caught having someone in the room with them when they took a remote exam.

In the most recent case, a report from the invigilator explained they heard student Muhammadd Faizan Fayyaz “talking to someone during their exam”, and there was a concern that “someone can be heard assisting the test-taker”.

Fayyaz admitted to ACCA that a family member had knocked on the door during the exam and this had been seen by the proctor. He said that he was provided with a warning, but was allowed to continue with the exam, However, the exam was then terminated.

The disciplinary committee decided Fayyaz should be removed from the student register of ACCA and ordered to pay a contribution to ACCA’s cost in the sum of £5,000.

Student Ayaz Akmal of Jhelum has also been removed from the student register, and Miss Momina was admonished for similar offences.

The FRC has issued a ‘final decision notice’ and imposed sanctions against KPMG and former partner Anthony Sykes over the 2020 audit of TheWorks.co.uk plc.

KPMG’s fine was reduced to £1,023,750 following its ‘co-operation’. The firm also received another severe reprimand, to go with the one it got for its audit of Luceco plc. The Big 4 firm was also told to take action to mitigate the effect or prevent the recurrence of the breaches.

Sykes received a severe reprimand and a financial sanction of £43,875.

The FRC said KPMG’s approach to the audit of inventory existence was flawed by a succession of failings, in particular:

• Failure to respond appropriately to variances in stock counts identified during controls testing.

• The adoption of a substantive testing approach, without adequate consideration or consultation.

• Failure to perform appropriate rollforward and roll-back procedures.

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The support team is working hard to provide reassurance on how seriously AAT is taking these issues, and how much it values its students. Regular software updates are also taking place, and PQ magazine was meeting with the CEO Sarah Beale again as the magazine went to press. Checkoutthisaward-winningpodcaston