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With the continuous development of the futures market, the internal audit of futures companies has been paid more and more attention. In 2000, China Securities Regulatory Commission issued the Guiding Principles on Strengthening the Internal Control System of Futures Brokerage Companies, explicitly requiring futures companies to set up special internal audit posts or departments to be responsible for the supervision and inspection of the implementation of the internal control system. The internal audit department has played an increasingly important role in checking mistakes and preventing fraud, preventing risks and promoting the company's compliance operation. China's futures companies started late and have a small scale, so they are faced with greater operating pressure in a highly competitive market environment. Although most futures companies have set up internal audit departments or posts as required, at present, internal audit is mainly defined as "re-supervision" function, which mainly adopts the audit method of checking financial records, finding errors and correcting afterwards, and still stays in the stage of "supervision-oriented" error detection and fraud prevention, and its service function has not been effectively brought into play. The continuous progress of information network technology and the increasingly fierce market competition environment put forward higher and higher requirements for the management ability of futures companies, and the management risks faced by futures companies are gradually increasing. "Supervision-oriented" internal audit has not adapted to the requirements of "modern financial enterprises". Futures companies should innovate the audit concept, establish a "service-oriented" internal audit system, give full play to the internal audit function, promote the company to strengthen management and improve economic benefits.

"Service-oriented" internal audit means that internal audit, as a means of management and control of futures companies, focuses on serving the company's development goals, makes use of the independence, objectivity, consultation and constructiveness of the internal audit department, strengthens the sense of service on the basis of doing a good job of "supervision" audit, acts as the "staff officer and assistant" of the company leaders, and provides value-added services for the company. "Service-oriented" internal audit is not only the objective need for futures companies to cope with market competition, but also the inevitable trend of internal audit itself.

First of all, service-oriented internal audit should correctly handle the relationship between "supervision" and "service"

Internal audit needs to reveal the existing problems, but it is more important to put forward constructive opinions and improvement measures in view of the defects in management and control of the audited department, so as to help the management control the risks of various businesses more effectively, make rational use of resources and achieve the expected goals. Due to the relative independence and authority of internal audit, when auditing and inspecting the audited department, most of them check and evaluate the economic business that has happened, and put forward and submit the illegal business and behavior for treatment, which will affect the evaluation of the audited department. This kind of inconsistency between the audit and the auditee's goal often puts the auditee in a passive cooperative position, which inevitably leads to its aversion to the audit work and cannot get the full and active cooperation of the auditee.

Service-oriented internal audit should correctly handle the relationship between "supervision" and "service", adhere to both "supervision" and "service", and emphasize the service function of internal audit. Supervision is the means of service and service is the purpose of supervision. Through the indoctrination of the above audit ideas, the management and the audited department can treat the internal audit work with a more positive attitude, win their trust and respect, actively seek the constructive service of internal audit in improving business management and enhance the company's value.

Two, "service-oriented" internal audit should be based on the company's development strategy.

With the continuous development of futures companies and the extension of internal audit, the scope of internal audit of futures companies has expanded from the initial financial revenue and expenditure audit and compliance audit to the internal control system audit, and even reached the height of expressing opinions on the company's organizational structure and strategic adjustment, so higher requirements have been put forward for the means and objectives of internal audit. "Service-oriented" internal audit should focus on the company's development strategy to determine the corresponding work objectives. At present, most futures companies take risk prevention and control, brand operation, human resources, innovation and core competitiveness construction as their basic development strategies. Internal audit work should also focus on the above strategies and formulate corresponding audit work plans and objectives. Give full play to the functions of internal audit as "guardian, doctor and counselor", and provide value-added services for the company by strengthening compliance audit, doing a good job in operating efficiency and execution audit and internal control system audit, so as to ensure the correct implementation of national policies and regulations, the implementation of company rules and regulations and business philosophy, and the realization of the company's business objectives. The objectives of "service-oriented" internal audit work can be summarized as the following six aspects:

1. Ensure the implementation of national laws and regulations.

The internal audit department conducts regular routine audits of daily economic activities, reveals and handles existing problems of violation of law and discipline, urges relevant departments and personnel to operate legally and in compliance, and prevents policy risks.

2. Serve the execution construction of futures companies.

The executive power of futures companies is manifested in the strength and efficiency of implementing the company's development strategy, business philosophy and rules and regulations. The internal audit department reveals and deals with the existing problems through the audit and inspection of daily operation and management. More importantly, it can have a "deterrent" effect on internal violations of discipline and bad atmosphere, can curb the occurrence of bad behaviors to a certain extent, ensure the smooth flow of internal government orders, urge all departments to improve work efficiency, and promote the improvement of the company's execution.

3. Ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial and business operation information.

Through the audit and inspection of the implementation of financial management and accounting system, we can ensure the correct implementation of national financial discipline and corporate financial policies, and ensure the truthfulness, accuracy and reliability of financial and business information. You can also use auditing methods such as auditing accounts, checking account tables and checking accounts to promote the company to plug loopholes, reduce losses and protect the safety and integrity of the company's property and materials.

4. Serving the construction of internal control system of futures companies.

Internal control is a process that futures companies provide reasonable guarantee for the effectiveness of management, the accuracy of financial reports and the compliance of laws and regulations. It controls the company's management activities and realizes the restriction and balance of power. In order to ensure the effective implementation of the internal control system, it is necessary to properly supervise the control process. Internal audit is not only an important part of the internal control of futures companies, but also the main means to supervise the internal control. The internal audit department evaluates the effectiveness and rationality of the internal control system by auditing and checking the implementation of the company's internal control system, and puts forward suggestions to the management to modify the overlapping, excessive control, incomplete coverage and weak operability system, and urges them to further improve and perfect.

5. Serve the risk management of futures companies.

Risk control is the lifeline of futures companies. Due to the inevitability and variability of risks in the futures market, effective risk control has become the primary goal of futures companies. Futures companies should play the role of internal audit as a "healer" in the risk prevention and control system, integrate internal audit into the company's risk management process, and provide services for the company to avoid, transfer and control risks. On the premise of ensuring its independence and objectivity, we should observe the business process keenly from the perspective of internal audit, evaluate the setting of risk key points and risk prevention system, report the defects in management quickly, and urge the management to take prevention and control measures. Internal audit should not only carry out routine risk audit on the daily business of the company, such as transaction, settlement, deposit and withdrawal, marketing service, etc., but also carry out risk assessment on innovative business, so as to achieve early warning, prevention and resolution afterwards.

6. Service futures companies to increase value and improve efficiency.

The internal audit department should closely focus on the center and key work of the company, grasp the pulse of the company's development, and proceed from the actual needs of strengthening management, improving services and improving economic benefits, strengthen routine and special audits of daily business management activities, and promote the company to increase revenue, reduce expenditure and improve efficiency. In view of the hot, difficult and key issues in the company's operation and management, we actively carry out effective special audit investigations to provide audit services for management decision-making. In the audit work, we should pay attention to the awareness of consulting service, not only check the business, but also provide business guidance to relevant personnel on the problems found in the inspection. Through the professionalism and bond function of the audit, we can pass on the good ideas and practices of other departments to the departments with weak internal management and promote the maximization of the company's value.

Three, "service-oriented" internal audit should establish an audit system suitable for the scale of futures companies.

Effectively exerting the function of internal audit is inseparable from a sound internal audit system. A futures company shall, in light of its own reality and in line with the principle of economy and practicality, establish an internal audit system suitable for the scale of the futures company, reasonably locate the functions, objectives and scope of internal audit, and clarify the powers and responsibilities of internal audit. Futures companies should also formulate unified audit procedures, audit plans and project audit plans according to the actual situation of the company to ensure the standardization and order of audit work. In addition, the following systems should be established:

1. Establish an internal audit system combining on-site and off-site supervision.

Facing the increasingly complex futures market environment, on-site audit alone can not fully meet the requirements of audit work. A futures company shall establish an internal audit system combining on-site and off-site supervision to make up for the shortage of on-site audit. With the help of modern network communication technology, off-site supervision can set relevant financial and risk monitoring indicators according to the relevant regulations of the CSRC, and conduct real-time and dynamic monitoring on internal transactions, settlement, fund deposit and withdrawal, marketing services and business of the business department, find out the signs of risks, provide audit basis and clues for on-site audit, and make the inspection more targeted. On-site audit can focus on the compliance and legality of the business operation of the audited department, the effectiveness of the implementation of the internal control system, the efficiency and effectiveness of internal management and other special audit contents. The internal audit system combining on-site and off-site supervision is conducive to maintaining the continuity of audit supervision and reducing audit costs. At the same time, it is of positive significance to improve audit efficiency, realize the whole process supervision of internal business risks, and prevent and resolve risks.

2. Establish a risk assessment system

The internal audit department shall, according to the company's established development strategy, use risk analysis technology to supervise and inspect the implementation of the internal control system of various departments and positions within the company in a planned and focused manner, and evaluate the effectiveness of risk key point control, especially important business and innovative business. Through auditing and inspection, the existing and potential risks are found in time, and the risk information is fed back to the management in time to help the company take appropriate measures to reduce, eliminate and transfer risks and achieve the expected risk management objectives.

3. Establishing auditor learning and training system "service-oriented" internal audit has changed the functions of the audit department and put forward higher requirements for internal auditors. It requires internal auditors to constantly strengthen the study of policies, regulations and business skills, improve the policy level and professional quality, not only to seriously study and understand the company's development strategy and business philosophy, but also to master relevant laws and regulations, company systems and business management processes. "It takes hard work to strike while the iron is hot". Only when auditors have skilled professional skills and policy level can they correctly judge whether the business is in compliance, use flexible policies and regulations to escort the company's business development, put forward valuable audit suggestions and provide value-added services for the company's development.

4. Establish the business follow-up system of the audit department.

Because of the independence of internal audit, internal auditors do not directly participate in the business management activities of enterprises, which makes it impossible for internal auditors to fully understand the daily business process of enterprises, which is not conducive to internal auditors to put forward constructive opinions. "Service-oriented" internal audit requires futures companies to provide necessary convenience for internal audit so that auditors can follow up the operation of the business. For example, participate in the business analysis meeting of the business department, conduct risk assessment and evaluation of innovative business, and intervene in the preparation and audit of the company's annual budget and final accounts in advance. In this way, the internal audit can be changed from afterwards to before or during the event, which is conducive to the internal audit department to provide valuable value-added services.

5. Establish an incentive and restraint mechanism for audit work.

The audit department should formulate scientific and reasonable "service-oriented" work objectives and incentive objectives, strive to fully tap and cultivate auditors' innovative thinking ability and business research ability, enhance their sense of mission and responsibility, and enable them to exert their intelligence and make their own contributions to creatively completing the audit objectives.

Four, do a good job of "service" internal audit necessary conditions

Service-oriented internal audit system is not only a means for futures companies to improve their management level and economic benefits, but also an important symbol of modern economic management system. Futures companies should do a good job of "service-oriented" internal audit from a strategic perspective and provide material and technical support for "service-oriented" internal audit. At present, we should conscientiously implement the Guiding Principles on Strengthening the Internal Control System of Futures Brokerage Companies issued by China Securities Regulatory Commission, give the internal audit department a correct position and give it the necessary power. In order to ensure the effective functioning of the internal audit department, the futures company shall provide the following guarantees for the internal audit department:

1. Independence guarantee

Independence means that internal auditors are independent of the activities they check, do not directly participate in the company's business management activities, do not assume the responsibility of business management, and work as a third party. Independence is a necessary condition to ensure the objectivity and fairness of internal audit work, and it is also an important part of the governance structure of futures companies. Lack of independence not only restricts the function of internal audit, but also affects its survival and development.

2. Authority guarantee

The position and authority of the internal audit department in the company structure directly affects whether the internal audit department can carry out its work effectively. At present, according to the different leadership relations, internal audit can be roughly divided into three categories: first, it is led by the company's financial department; Second, it is led by the general manager of the company; The third is led by the board of directors or the board of supervisors. As far as the independence and authority of internal audit are concerned, the higher the leadership level, the higher the independence and authority, which is more conducive to the role of internal audit. The ideal internal audit department should directly accept the leadership of the board of directors and the business guidance of the board of supervisors. The property right structure of each futures company is different from the actual situation, and the positioning of the audit department is also different. However, it is necessary to ensure that the audit department is slightly higher than other departments in setting up, and truly give the internal audit department the necessary power to ensure its authority, so as to facilitate the smooth development of the audit work.

3. The "service-oriented" internal audit of human resources guarantee puts forward higher requirements for auditors, which require auditors not only to have higher political and ideological quality, but also to have higher professional knowledge in finance, management, planning, information technology, computer programming, law and so on. Futures companies should adopt necessary preferential policies, attract professionals with certain professional standards and versatile talents to join the audit team, build an audit team with high political quality and good business skills, improve the "combat effectiveness" of the audit team, and ensure that the audit work can calmly cope with the new environment and new problems.

4. Information technology assurance

With the continuous progress of modern network communication technology, the management and service of futures companies have entered the stage of integration and electronization. If the traditional audit method is still used to deal with a large number of electronic data and materials, it is difficult to achieve practical results. Internal audit should also keep pace with the times, implement technological innovation and constantly improve audit methods. For example, write or use special audit software to realize computerization of audit work. Establishing a dynamic monitoring system for transaction, settlement, accounting and deposit and withdrawal can effectively improve the efficiency of audit work by intercepting and handling abnormal data. Futures companies should provide necessary information technology support for internal audit, such as establishing internal business information communication system, realizing internal information resources sharing, and requiring internal business and management software to provide data interfaces for internal audit, which can effectively promote the improvement of audit efficiency.

To sum up, in the face of continuous technological progress and increasingly fierce market competition environment, futures companies should change their concepts, play the role of "guardian, doctor and counselor" of internal audit, strengthen the sense of "service", provide value-added services for the company, continuously improve the company's management level and core competitiveness, and promote its steady and rapid development.