Briefly discuss why auditors must often exercise creativity and innovation in auditing financial statements. Give an example

Auditors frequently face situations where no standard audit procedure exists, such as the example from the text of verifying the inventory of cattle. Such circumstances require that the auditor exercise creativity and innovation when planning and administering audit procedures where little or no guidance or precedent exists. Every client is different, and applying auditing concepts in different situations requires logic and common sense, and frequently creativity and innovation.