Overview
An audit does not have to be a disruptive experience. Businesses that prepare systematically — organizing documentation, reviewing internal controls, and aligning their teams — typically experience smoother audit processes and more constructive outcomes.
Before the Audit Begins
Good preparation starts well before the auditors arrive: reconciling all major accounts, closing the books for the period under review, gathering supporting schedules for significant balances, and briefing the relevant internal teams on their role during fieldwork.
What Auditors Typically Request
Auditors generally request a standard set of documentation, including trial balances and general ledger detail, bank statements and reconciliations, contracts and agreements supporting significant transactions, and minutes of board or management meetings relevant to the period.
Common Reasons Audits Run Long
In our experience, audits are most often extended by incomplete or unreconciled supporting schedules, delayed responses to auditor queries, unresolved prior-year issues that resurface, and a lack of a single internal point of contact coordinating the process.
How We Can Help
Our audit team can support your business in preparing for an external audit, addressing internal control gaps proactively, and ensuring documentation is organized well ahead of fieldwork.
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