What belongs in a year-end readiness checklist

A clean statutory audit starts weeks before auditors walk in. Controllers who treat readiness as a project — not a hope — spend less overtime during fieldwork.

Reconciliations first

Bank, accounts receivable subledger, accounts payable subledger, and inventory perpetual vs. general ledger should all reconcile before the audit kickoff call. Open reconciling items should have owners and dates.

Confirmation logistics

Draft customer and bank confirmation lists early. Wrong addresses waste two weeks of follow-up. For banks in Taiwan, confirm the branch code the auditor should use.

Estimates file

Collect support for bad-debt allowances, inventory obsolescence, and warranty provisions in one folder. Auditors test the method and the data — not just the ending balance.

Calendar buffer

Build three spare days between planned fieldwork end and your board or bank deadline. Something always slips: a late confirmation, a cut-off query, a translation review.