Wirtschaftsprüfer

English translation: auditor

14:08 Aug 8, 2003

German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Accounting

German term or phrase: Wirtschaftsprüfer

Wirtschaftsprüfer/in: Kurzbeschreibung

Aufgaben und Tätigkeiten im Überblick

Wirtschaftsprüfer/innen prüfen die Jahresabschlüsse von Kapitalgesellschaften, die der gesetzlich vorgeschriebenen Prüfung unterliegen. Sie erläutern die Prüfungsergebnisse in Form eines Berichtes und leiten bei Bedarf entsprechende Maßnahmen ein. Ihre Mandanten beraten sie weiterhin bei Unternehmensein- und -verkäufen, bei Börsengängen, Sanierungen und in Fällen von Wirtschaftskriminalität. Außerdem erstellen sie Gutachten in wirtschaftlichen Angelegenheiten und nehmen treuhänderische Aufgaben wahr.

Auch im Bereich Rating können sie tätig werden. Rating-Analysten bzw. Rating-Berater/innen beurteilen nach bestimmten Kriterien die Bonität von Kunden bzw. Mandanten. Wirtschaftsprüfer/innen können so ermitteln, zu welchem Zinssatz Kredite voraussichtlich an ihre Mandanten vergeben werden können. Dabei müssen Bonitätsanalysten ihr Augenmerk sowohl auf die aktuell vorhandenen Vermögenswerte der potentiellen Kreditnehmer legen als auch auf künftige Ertragsaussichten.

Wirtschaftsprüfer/innen arbeiten oft selbstständig, viele wechseln auch nach einiger Zeit direkt zu Mandanten oder werden Partner in deren Unternehmen.

Maya Todorova KudoZ activity Questions: 466 (none open) (4 closed without grading) Answers: 383
Local time: 20:14

English translation:auditor

Explanation:
++

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Note added at 2003-08-08 14:11:39 (GMT)
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Is already in the glossary.......

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Note added at 2003-08-08 14:12:33 (GMT)
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....... 3 times

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Note added at 2003-08-08 14:28:15 (GMT)
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.. Typically, auditors prepare an overview which may come from the following sources:
1 ... used the RCA 501, while thousands used the competing IBM 1401; the decision ...
www.auditnet.org/Guides/flowcharting guide.pdf

. We have also received the Auditors\' Report, submitted on 8 March 2002 by the authorised public accountants appointed by the Control Committee. ...
annual2001.nib.int/financials/revisions_2.html - 16k

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
CITY OF ELMIRA AUDITORS’ REPORTS TO CITY COUNCIL Table of Contents For the Year Ended December 31, 2000 I Presentation II Audited Financial Statements III ...
www.ci.elmira.ny.us/offices/docs/ elmira_auditors_report_2000.pdf

... Auditors\' responsibility statements and auditors\' reports on corporate governance. A proposal. (a) for a comprehensive auditors\' responsibility ...
www.acca.co.uk/technical/responses/archive/22272 - 17k

Selected response from:

writeaway

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +6

auditor

writeaway

5 +4

An explanation

RobinB

5 +1

Auditor

Ted Wozniak

5 +1

explain: public auditor

Antoinette-M. Sixt Ruth

4 +1

chartered accountant

Hirendra Chatterjee

5 -1

Certified Public Accountant

Martin Hesse

4 -1

leave it in German followed by [state-certified Auditor] the first time

William Stein

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

1 min confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

auditor

writeaway
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 14

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

1 min confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

leave it in German followed by [state-certified Auditor] the first time

Explanation:
There's no exact equivalent in English.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-08-08 14:23:10 (GMT)
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The point is that companies usually talk about auditors in order to inspire a certain degree of confidence. A Wirtschaftspruefer is certified by the state and is subject to very strict regulations which do not generally apply to other auditors, so they don\'t inspire the same degree of confidence in the eyes of investors. In America, Certified Public Accounts have a similar status, but they pass a highly specific exam that doesn\'t necessarily cover the same subject matter, so that would be misleading, too.

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 11:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 52

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

disagree

Kim Metzger: I can think of no reason to leave it in German for an English-speaking audience.

4 mins

-> For the simple reason that an "auditor" in English is not necessarily state-certified, so it would be misleading.

disagree

Ted Wozniak: nonsense. Auditor is perfectly acceptable alone

6 mins

-> I suppose it is if you set your standards low enough, but the term misleading. You admit yourself below that you should at least say CPA.

neutral

Aniello Scognamiglio (X): Ted, it's enough to disagree, but it's not professional to judge a colleage's proposal as 'nonsense'.

17 mins

disagree

Martin Hesse: Translations that read like originals. Literally.

18 mins

-> At least mine are partially translated.

agree

Fantutti (X): For the sake of acuracy I agree with you, William, and also with Robin and Antoinette.

9 hrs

agree

Richard Hall: very much agree. If it is used as the title of a professional qualification, possibly with a note. If it's used generically then auditor would be fine. However in these cases usually the German word Revisor is used.

14 hrs

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

chartered accountant

Explanation:
Overview of tasks and activities

Hirendra Chatterjee
Local time: 22:44
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Bengali

9 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

Certified Public Accountant

Explanation:
CPA

Nörr Stiefenhofer Lutz
... Rechtsanwalt. Dipl.-Kfm. Günter Heinkelmann Wirtschaftsprüfer (certified
public accountant), Rüdiger von Pezold Rechtsanwalt. Dr ...
www.noerr.de/cgi-bin/ praesenz_pro.php?praesenzid=6&language=eng

Präsenz -
... Accounting and Auditing. Partners in charge: Dipl.-Kfm. Matthias Gerhardt, Wirtschaftsprüfer
und Steuerberater (certified public accountant and tax adviser). ...
www.noerr.de/html/eng/kompetenz/kompetenz_02.html

Certified IAS Accountant
... Mag. Josef Arminger Senior Manager der KPMG Alpen-Treuhand Austria Gruppe, Linz
Wirtschaftsprüfer und Steuerberater, Certified Public Accountant, Mag. ...
www.oeci.at/2_bild/2a_1d_referenten.htm

Information pursuant to Sec. 6 German Tele Services Act ( ...
... Dipl.-Finanzwirt · Dipl.-Kaufmann Dr. Detlef H. Tietgen Wirtschaftspruefer (certified
public accountant) · Steuerberater (tax adviser) Dipl.-Betriebswirt ...
www.htg-wp.de/htgwp.nsf/ english_impressum_impressum.htm?OpenPage

HTG Schomerus & Partner - Wir über uns -
... Dipl.-Finanzwirt · Dipl.-Kaufmann Dr. Detlef H. Tietgen Wirtschaftspruefer (certified
public accountant) · Steuerberater (tax adviser) Industry · Trade ...
www.htg-wp.de/htgwp.nsf/ english_about_the_company_about_the_company.htm?OpenPage

Reference: http://www.dict.cc/?s=accountant
Reference: http://german.about.com/library/blbiz01.htm

Martin Hesse
Local time: 19:14
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4

20 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Auditor

Explanation:
By definition, an auditor IS a CPA and all CPAs are legally permitted to conduct audits be virtue of having passed the CPA exam. The fact that the exam is given by the professional association and not "The State" plays no role at all in translating the term.

This has nothing to do with "lower standards". It has everything to do with using terms that are in standard usage in the industry.

Ted Wozniak
United States
Local time: 12:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 762

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

An explanation

Explanation:
Basically, all of you are right, but it depends on the context.

The term "WP" is used in German in two senses: firstly to mean an "auditor" in the generic sense of the term. It's not concerned with the actual professional qualification/designation (CPA, CA, CCA, etc.).

The second, much more specific usage, refers to German WPs. In Germany, "Wirtschaftsprüfer" is a "geschützte Berufsbezeichnung". That's why in German auditors' reports, we don't translate the term "Wirtschaftsprüfer" under their signatures. If you ever have the need to add a translation in parentheses, it's "(German) public auditor".

My feeling is that in Diona's text, the term is being used in the first sense, because it states "Wirtschaftsprüfer/innen prüfen die Jahresabschlüsse von Kapitalgesellschaften". In Germany, the FS of GmbHs and small and medium-sized AGs can also be audited by "vereidigte Buchprüfer" (sworn auditors), and only the big guys (and all listed companies) need to be audited by WPs. Similarly, you don't need to be a WP in sense 2 for the ratings. The other pointer is that if a German WP in sense 1 moves to a corporate, he/she *loses* the Berufsbezeichnung (which is why unlike in the U.S. or UK, WPs hardly ever move to corporates).

Diona: it may help to check with your customer as to the precise sense in which WP is being used in your text (if you have any doubts).

The temperature's in the high thirties here in Germany, but I do think it would be more helpful to the asker if everybody tries to be really sachlich. Not always easy, I know....

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Note added at 1 hr 8 mins (2003-08-08 15:16:59 GMT)
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I intended this explanation to be \"hors de concours\", as it were.

RobinB
United States
Local time: 12:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 993

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

explain: public auditor

Explanation:
Like some of the others, I would leave Wirtschaftsprüfer in German (or "WP") and explain that this is a public auditor.
My recommendation stems from a translation course (Legal II) that I took at New York University recently.

Antoinette-M. Sixt Ruth
Local time: 12:14
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 7

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