Checked against the official source:
The duration and cost of an audit depend largely on how quickly the auditor receives documents. A package prepared in advance shortens fieldwork and reduces the risk of qualifications due to insufficient evidence.
What to prepare
- annual financial statements (for small entities — the balance sheet and statement of financial results; deadline — no later than 1 March, para. 7 of Regulation No. 3567);
- trial balance and ledgers;
- accounting policy;
- tax returns and the reconciliation statement with the budget from the taxpayer's personal account;
- registers of e-invoices (ESF);
- stocktake results;
- contracts, HR orders, list of related parties;
- for IFRS — conversion worksheets and calculations of estimates.
Legal basis
The auditor is entitled to obtain all documentation on the entity's financial and business activities (Art. 28 of Law ZRU-677), and the company must provide working conditions and documents within the deadlines set by the contract (Art. 37). For a statutory audit, a copy of the report is filed with the tax authorities no later than 15 June (Art. 35) — the preparation schedule is built back from this date.
Accounting documents
- Annual financial statement forms
- Trial balance and general ledger
- Accounting policy and orders amending it
- Breakdowns of material balance sheet items
- Access to the accounting database or ledger exports
Supporting documents
- Reconciliation statements with the largest counterparties
- Bank statements and balance confirmations
- Stocktake documents for fixed assets and inventories
- Contracts for material transactions
- Source documents for the sample selected by the auditor
Legal and tax documents
- Founding documents and corporate resolutions
- Tax returns for the audited period
- Tax inspection reports, if any inspections took place
- Information on litigation and claims made
- List of related parties and transactions with them
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Go to the Statutory Audit serviceFrequently asked questions
What if some documents have been lost?
Tell the auditor straight away. Sometimes evidence can be obtained another way — through the counterparty or the bank. If not, a scope limitation arises for the relevant item, and this is reflected in the report.
Is access to the accounting database mandatory?
Not mandatory, but it speeds up the work considerably. The alternative is ledger exports on request, which takes more time for both sides.
When should documents be prepared for a statutory audit?
Before fieldwork starts, bearing in mind that the report must be filed with the tax authorities no later than 15 June (Art. 35 of ZRU-677).
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