In planning an audit, the MOST critical step is the identification of the:

A.
areas of high risk.

B.
skill sets of the audit staff.

C.
test steps in the audit.

D.
time allotted for the audit.

Explanation:
When designing an audit plan, it is important to identify the areas of highest risk to determine the areas to be
audited. The skill sets of the audit staff should have been considered before deciding and selecting the audit.
Test steps for the auditare not as critical as identifying the areas of risk, and the time allotted for an audit isdetermined by the areas to be audited, which are primarily selected based on the identification of risks.