Cash Basis Review 2008-2010

Project Status

The IPSASB approved the Project Brief in 2010.

Objective

The primary objective of the project is to identify any major difficulties that public sector entities have encountered in implementing the Cash Basis IPSAS Financial Reporting under the Cash Basis of Accounting and determine whether the IPSAS should be modified, or if further guidance should be provided, in light of these difficulties.

Further objectives of the project include:

• identifying whether further reporting requirements should be added to the IPSAS; and
• determining whether any of the encouraged additional disclosures in Part 2 of the Standard should be included as mandatory requirements in Part 1 of the Standard.

Scope

Review implementation experiences in respect of the Cash Basis IPSAS Financial Reporting under the Cash Basis of Accounting.

SUMMARY

The main objective of the project is to identify any major difficulties that public sector entities have encountered in implementing the Cash Basis IPSAS Financial Reporting under the Cash Basis of Accounting and determine whether the IPSAS should be modified or if further guidance should be provided by the IPSASB. 

As part of the review process, the IPSASB asked those who have been involved in the adoption of the Cash Basis IPSAS in developing economies to complete a questionnaire on their experiences with respect to implementation issues.
 

Background

The Cash Basis IPSAS was first issued in January 2003, with the intention that a post-implementation review would occur two years after promulgation to determine if the requirements of the IPSAS were appropriate.

In late 2003, the IPSASB agreed to update the Cash Basis IPSAS with disclosures about the receipt of external assistance and, consequentially, deferred the post implementation review pending completion of that project.

Since first issued, the Cash Basis IPSAS has been updated with additional requirements and encouragements about the presentation of both budget information and external assistance received in financial statements.

Issues

Matters to be considered in the project include whether:

• major difficulties have been experienced in implementing the IPSAS, and the nature of those difficulties;
• existing requirements of the IPSAS should be modified to respond to implementation difficulties;
• additional requirements or encouragements should be added to the IPSAS; and
• any of the encouraged additional disclosures currently included in the IPSAS should become mandatory.

Task Force progress / Board discussions to date

Board discussions to date