James, who was engaged to examine the financial statements of Talbert Corporation, is abou...

James, who was engaged to examine the financial statements of Talbert Corporation, is about to audit payroll. Talbert uses a computer service center to process weekly payroll as follows.

Each Monday Talbert’s payroll clerk inserts data in appropriate spaces on the preprinted service center-prepared input form and sends it to the service center via messenger. The service center extracts new permanent data from the input form and updates its master files. The weekly payroll data are then processed. The weekly payroll register and payroll checks are printed and delivered by messenger to Talbert on Thursday.

Part of the sample selected for audit by James includes the data from the “payroll input” table and payroll register, which are provided below followed by the Talbert payroll register.

Required:

a. Describe how James should verify the information in the payroll input form shown.

b. Describe (but do not perform) the procedures that James should follow in examining the November payroll register shown below.

(AICPA, adapted)