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Comptroller
Financial occupation

A comptroller is a senior management position responsible for overseeing accounting and financial reporting within an organization, often acting as the head of accounting. In many Commonwealth countries, the comptroller general serves as the external auditor of government budgets and government-owned companies, typically heading an institution affiliated with the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions. In the US, this role parallels the chief financial officer of a public agency. Within business management, comptrollers closely resemble chief audit executives, managing internal audit, internal controls, and financial oversight.

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Etymology

The word is a variant of "controller". The "cont-" or "count-" part in that word was associated with "compt-", a variant of the verb "count". The term, though criticized by lexicographers such as Henry Watson Fowler,1 is probably retained in part because in official titles it was deemed useful to have the title dissociated from the word and concept "control".2

A variant explanation is that comptroller evolved in the 15th century through a blend of the French compte ("an account") and the Middle English countreroller (someone who checks a copy of a scroll, from the French contreroule "counter-roll, scroll copy"), thus creating a title for a compteroller who specializes in checking financial ledgers.34 This etymology explains why the name is often pronounced identically to "controller" despite the distinct spelling. However, comptroller is sometimes pronounced phonetically by those unaware of the word's origins or who wish specifically to avoid confusion with "controller".5

Business role

In business, the comptroller is the person who, independently from the chief financial officer in some countries, oversees accounting, and the implementation and monitoring of internal controls. In countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and Canada, a comptroller or financial comptroller reports to the CFO in companies that have one.

Businesses typically use the spelling controller,6 while government organizations use comptroller.7

Government role

India

In India, Comptroller is an appointment.

  • There are officers called Comptroller of the Governor's household in each state who are responsible for the Governor's households at the Raj Bhavans of each of the states and union territories of India.

Mexico

In Mexico, the comptroller, translated as 'contralor', was established in the public administration during the presidency of Miguel de la Madrid, when he created the Secretariat of the General Comptroller of the Federation [es] in 1982. This ministry was renamed as the Secretariat of the Civil Service by president Vicente Fox in 2003. Nevertheless, several states still name as General Comptroller Office their audit and oversight institutions. Namely, Mexico City has the Secretariat of the General Comptroller of Mexico City and Jalisco has the Comptroller General Office of the State of Jalisco.

United Kingdom

The title of comptroller is used in the Royal Household for various offices, including:

  • the Comptroller of the Household (nowadays a sinecure, invariably held by a government whip in the House of Commons). The office was established as part of the Wardrobe (a powerful department of household and state) in the 13th century, in order to maintain a check on the accounts of the Treasurer of the Household. Today, the Comptroller's duties outside of government are minimal and mainly ceremonial.
  • the Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office, who is a full-time member of the Royal Household; his duties are concerned with the arrangement of ceremonial affairs rather than financial affairs.

The Comptroller of the Navy is a post in the Royal Navy responsible for procurement and matériel.

The Comptroller and City Solicitor is one of the High Officers of the City of London Corporation, responsible for provision of all legal services. The post of comptroller dates from 1311, and that of City Solicitor from 1544; the two were amalgamated in 1945.

The Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks is the head of the UK Intellectual Property Office or Patent Office.

The Comptroller and Auditor General is head of the National Audit Office, and is the successor of the former Comptroller General of the Exchequer and the former Commissioners of Audit.

United States

The title of comptroller is held by various government officials.

Spain

In Spain, the word comptroller is translated as "Interventor".

See also

Look up comptroller in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  1. Etymology of comptroller at Merriam-Webster online, m-w.com. Accessed 2007-07-01. http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/comptroller

  2. ""comptroller, n."". OED Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved October 17, 2019. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/37930?redirectedFrom=comptroller

  3. Etymology of comptroller at etymology online, etymonline.com. Accessed 2007-07-01. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=comptroller&searchmode=none

  4. Etymology of comptroller at Merriam-Webster online, m-w.com. Accessed 2007-07-01. http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/comptroller

  5. "the definition of comptroller". Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comptroller

  6. "Controller Vs Comptroller". The Strategic CFO. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2016. http://strategiccfo.com/controller-vs-comptroller/

  7. "What is the Difference Between a Controller and a Comptroller?". Top Accounting Degrees. Retrieved 3 May 2016. http://www.topaccountingdegrees.org/faq/what-is-the-difference-between-a-controller-and-a-comptroller/

  8. "Home Page". U.S. office of the Comptroller of the Currency. http://www.occ.treas.gov/