Audit Support & Stakeholder Coordination: Bringing Structure, Visibility and Control to a Complex Statutory Audit Process

• Client: Australian Multi-Entity Group
• Service Provider: Sapphire Digital Accounting
• Service Area: Audit Support & Stakeholder Coordination

The client operates within a multi-entity environment subject to annual statutory audits and extensive financial reporting requirements.

Successful completion of the audit depended on close collaboration between group management, finance managers, operational teams, reporting teams and external auditors.

With multiple requests progressing simultaneously, the challenge extended beyond preparing accounting schedules. The client also needed a structured way to coordinate information, manage dependencies and maintain visibility over outstanding audit requirements.

The audit involved:

• Multiple information requests across entities and reporting areas
• Dependence on input from numerous internal stakeholders
• Tight timelines and concurrent deadlines
• Complex technical accounting matters
• Information arriving in different formats and at varying levels of completeness
• Missing or insufficient supporting documentation
• The need to maintain ongoing financial reporting activities while supporting the audit

These factors increased the risk of delays, repeated follow-ups and inefficient communication between the business and its external auditors.

Sapphire provided a central coordination layer between internal stakeholders and external auditors while also supporting the preparation and review of audit documentation.

Managing Audit Requests

Audit information requests and deadlines were actively coordinated across relevant teams. The approach included:

• Maintaining audit-request and deliverables trackers
• Monitoring deadlines and outstanding items
• Following up with stakeholders
• Reviewing information before submission
• Coordinating technical discussions
• Escalating critical issues and delays where required

Improving Data Quality

Information received from different teams was frequently inconsistent, incomplete or difficult to compare. To improve audit readiness, Sapphire:

• Standardised information requests
• Consolidated data from multiple sources
• Reviewed and validated submissions
• Performed reconciliations
• Identified discrepancies
• Extracted relevant information from large datasets
• Organised evidence into a logical, auditable format

Technical Audit Support

The engagement also required support across several accounting areas, including:

• Group financial consolidation
• Intercompany reconciliations
• IFRS 15 revenue recognition
• Goodwill impairment testing
• Equity accounting
• Financial statement disclosures
• Audit schedules and technical accounting documentation

Supporting memoranda, schedules and reconciliations were prepared, while technical accounting treatments and judgements were explained and supported with relevant evidence.

Stakeholder Coordination

Regular follow-ups and meetings were used to keep management, finance teams and auditors aligned.

Audit requirements were clarified, communication channels were maintained and significant matters were escalated where necessary.

The structured approach strengthened visibility and accountability throughout the audit process. Supported outcomes included:

• Improved coordination between management, finance teams and auditors
• Better visibility over audit deliverables and deadlines
• Improved quality and consistency of audit submissions
• Reduced delays arising from incomplete information
• Reduced auditor follow-up queries
• Stronger supporting schedules and working papers
• Support in meeting key audit milestones and reporting deadlines
• Greater transparency across the audit process

The engagement demonstrates Sapphire Digital Accounting's ability to support an audit not simply by producing schedules, but by helping create the structure, communication and supporting evidence required to keep a complex audit moving.

Key expertise demonstrated: Audit Coordination | Audit Readiness | Stakeholder Management | Technical Accounting Support | Financial Reporting | Reconciliations | Documentation | Data Analysis | Project Coordination