Outsourcing Account Reconciliation

Top 5 Benefits of Outsourcing Reconciliation Services for Your Business

In today’s dynamic business landscape, maximizing efficiency and focusing on core competencies are paramount for sustained success. One area where businesses can streamline operations and drive growth is through outsourcing reconciliation services. As businesses navigate complex financial landscapes, outsourcing reconciliation tasks can offer a multitude of benefits, ranging from cost savings to enhanced accuracy and scalability. Let’s delve into the top 5 advantages of embracing outsourcing for your reconciliation needs:

Introduction

Outsourcing has emerged as a ubiquitous phenomenon for business enterprises worldwide. Particularly, outsourcing in the finance and accounting segment has gained remarkable momentum. The approximate value of the global market for Finance and Accounting Outsourcing in 2022 was US$43.1 billion. This market is projected to expand and reach a revised size of US$68.8 billion by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. One of the emerging sub-domains in the finance and accounting outsourcing sphere is outsourcing account reconciliation. Outsourcing can be the most reliable reconciliation solution business ventures can utilize to automate reconciliation processes.

Are you contemplating outsourcing business reconciliation activities such as receivable reconciliation, payable reconciliation, or bank reconciliation? We have some compelling reasons that outline the relevance of outsourcing your account reconciliation process.

1. Expertise and Accuracy

Account reconciliation processes like intercompany reconciliation, AP AR reconciliation, and payment reconciliation require meticulous attention to detail and elaborate knowledge of accounting principles. By outsourcing reconciliation services to professionals with expertise in this area, businesses can ensure accurate and precise reconciliation of financial data.

2. Time and Cost Savings

Reconciliation can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, diverting valuable internal resources away from core business activities. A report by Ventana Research found that organizations that rely heavily on manual reconciliation processes spend an average of 13 days on a monthly close, while those with higher levels of automation complete the process in just 5 days. Outsourcing reconciliation services allows businesses to free up their staff’s time, enabling them to focus on strategic initiatives and revenue-generating tasks. Additionally, outsourcing eliminates the need for investing in expensive financial reconciliation software, infrastructure, and training, resulting in cost savings for the business.

3. Scalability and Flexibility

Business operations often experience fluctuations in transaction volumes and reconciliation requirements. Outsourcing account reconciliation services offers scalability and flexibility, as service providers can quickly adapt to changing business needs. Whether it is handling increased reconciliation volumes during peak periods or adjusting the scope of services, outsourcing allows entities to scale up or down without the hassle of getting additional staff.

4. Access to Contemporary Technology

One of the benefits of outsourcing reconciliation services is gaining access to the latest technology and reconciliation tools. Reconciliation service providers invest in the best account reconciliation software and tools to streamline the reconciliation process, improve efficiency, and enhance accuracy. By leveraging the different transaction reconciliation software, businesses can benefit from automation, real-time reporting, data analytics, and other innovative features that may not be readily available in-house.

5. Focus on Core Competencies

According to a survey by Accounting Today, 64% of small businesses outsource their accounting functions, highlighting the popularity of outsourcing among small and mid-scale enterprises. Outsourcing reconciliation services allows companies to focus on their core competencies and strategic goals. By offloading the time-consuming task of reconciliation to experts, businesses can allocate their resources towards driving growth, improving customer service, and enhancing overall operational efficiency. Outsourcing the financial reconciliation process enables enterprises to leverage specialized skills and knowledge while streamlining their general operations.

Conclusion

By leveraging automated reconciliation strategies and outsourcing financial reconciliation services, organizations can achieve greater accuracy, improved productivity, and enhanced financial control, ultimately leading to better decision-making and operational efficiency. Bank upon the reconciliation software offerings by Firmway to manage your outsourcing requirements related to financial reconciliation. Our reconciliation solution in the form of ledger account reconciliation, GST reconciliations and Form 26AS reconciliation software can give an edge to your reconciliation outsourcing objectives.

Audit Working Paper

ICAI Audit Working Papers: The Ultimate Guide for Effective Usage

In July 2023, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) introduced noteworthy additions to the audit working paper templates. These ICAI audit working papers particularly focuses on the third-party confirmation and its documentation. Today, we aim to summarize the key aspects regarding this recent development and help auditors realize the relevance of these new audit working paper templates for third party confirmation.

Introduction

As we know, audit working papers are a critical component of the audit process, serving as written records of audit procedures, findings, and conclusions reached by the auditor. The ICAI audit working papers play a crucial role in complying with the Standard on Auditing (SA) 230, Audit Documentation. It requires auditors to prepare sufficient and appropriate audit documentation to support their audit opinion.

Third-Party Confirmation

Third-party confirmations play a crucial role in validating the accuracy of financial records, as they provide an independent and objective assessment of the information presented in the audited entity’s books.

Benefits of ICAI’s Third-Party Confirmation Templates

  • ICAI’s introduction of third-party confirmation and documentation templates marks a significant step towards ensuring consistency and efficiency in the audit process.
  • These templates help auditors structure and format their work papers consistently, simplifying the organization and documentation of procedures performed.
  • Financial aspects covered include accounts receivables, accounts payables, related party transactions, communication with those charged with governance (TCWG) in the audit working paper templates.
  • ICAI has drafted the working papers in accordance with the Standards on Auditing. It ensures that auditors adhere to globally accepted practices while performing their engagements.

Why Use ICAI Working Papers Appropriately:

  • Provide Adequate Evidence for Audit Opinion
    First and foremost, they serve as evidence of the work carried out and form the basis for the auditor’s opinion. By maintaining records of audit procedures followed, auditors and reviewers gain confidence in the quality of the audit.
  • Act as Future Audit Reference
    ICAI’s audit working papers serve as a valuable reference point for future audits. They document the audit plan, procedures performed, and the results obtained, making it easier for auditors to build on previous engagements and carry forward best practices.
  • Promote Enhanced Team Communication
    Effective communication among the engagement team members is crucial during an audit. Audit work papers play a vital role in facilitating this communication by providing a common reference point to discuss findings, conclusions, and any issues encountered during the audit. This fosters collaboration and ensures that the team is on the same page throughout the engagement.
  • Enable Efficient Work Approach
    ICAI audit working papers aim to enhance the efficiency of audit processes. Auditors can save time and effort by using these templates, which offer a clear framework for documenting procedures and evidence. This streamlined approach helps auditors be more productive in their work.

Conclusion

By leveraging ICAI’s audit working papers, auditors can enhance the quality of their work, save time, and maintain a structured record of their audit procedures, ultimately promoting transparency, credibility, and reliability in financial reporting. As businesses face ever-evolving challenges in financial reporting, the use of ICAI’s third-party confirmation and documentation templates will prove invaluable in establishing trust and confidence among stakeholders and investors. For a comprehensive and integrated solution, consider exploring Firmway, a leading provider in audit management software, to further streamline and optimize your audit processes.

CFOs: Architects of Digital Transformation – How They’re Driving Growth in the Digital Age

From Finance Chiefs to Digital Catalysts: A Look at the Evolving Role of CFOs

The past few years have witnessed a technological revolution, with advancements in artificial intelligence, block chain, robotics, and automation nudging businesses towards digital transformation. It was the Covid-19 pandemic, however, that truly served as a catalyst, propelling companies to embrace digital initiatives like never before. 85% of CFOs plan to increase their investment in the cloud according to Accenture, and Gartner reports that 78% will maintain or increase their digital investment through 2023.

Leading the Charge: CFOs at the Forefront of Digital Strategy

In this digital landscape, C-level executives play a crucial role in successfully planning and implementing transformation strategies. Among these, CFOs find themselves at the forefront of the journey. BDO’s report, ‘Do CFOs Play a Leading Role in Digitally Transforming their SMEs?’ reveals that 76% of CFOs are involved in setting the overall digital strategy for their organizations.

Beyond Finance: Architects of Transformation Across the Organization

The CFO’s role goes beyond simply implementing new technologies in the finance department. They are, in many ways, the architects of digital transformation across the entire organization. As the numbers speak for themselves:

  • Digital Ambassadors: Bridging the Gap between Finance and Other Departments: 68% of CFOs provide suggestions to implement digital ideas for faster services and growth in other departments. They act as digital ambassadors, bridging the gap between finance and the rest of the organization.
  • Driving Enterprise Value Creation: CFOs are propelling Enterprise value creation to the forefront of strategic CEO agendas. They understand the transformative power of technology and are driving its adoption for maximum impact.

Transforming the Finance Department: From Back Office to Data Powerhouse

This focus on value creation manifests in the finance department itself, which is undergoing a digital revolution. Large-scale companies are increasingly adopting automation tools for accounting and data management, streamlining processes and unlocking new insights.

Meeting Evolving Expectations: Delivering Real-Time Data for Informed Decisions

But technology isn’t just about streamlining the back office. As CEO and board member expectations shift, demanding real-time, electronically formatted data for review, CFOs need to ensure their organizations can deliver. This necessitates transforming accounting, cash flow, and auditing with data visualization, advanced analytics, and real-time reporting features.

Embracing Automation: Optimizing Operations for the Digital Age

Ultimately, gathering, organizing, and accounting for data remains a core task of managing finances. However, digital transformation opens doors to new opportunities and expands the scope of business operations. Companies can now operate across borders, catering to a larger market, resulting in a higher volume of transactions that traditional manual methods simply can’t handle. According to McKinsey Global Institute, a staggering 77% of general accounting practices have high automatability potential.

The CFO Advantage: A 7% Boost to Transformation Success

Undeniably, a company’s digital transformation success hinges on various factors like vision, organizational structure, and employee skillsets. But a CFO’s involvement in the process is a significant differentiator. Studies show that companies with CFOs actively involved in digital transformation experience a 7% higher chance of success. This is a testament to the transformative power of CFOs, who are evolving from finance leaders to catalysts for innovation and digitization in their organizations.

Conclusion: The Future Belongs to the Digitally Equipped

The future belongs to those who embrace technology and utilize it to unlock new possibilities. And in this digital age, CFOs are playing a critical role in equipping companies with the tools and strategies they need to thrive. By stepping beyond their traditional roles and becoming digital architects, CFOs are leading their organizations towards a brighter, more efficient future.

Starting Audits Early | Firmway’s Guide to Effective Audits

Auditing is a critical process that ensures the accuracy and reliability of financial statements, essential for maintaining public trust and confidence in financial reporting. The auditor’s role is to examine the financial statements and provide an independent opinion on their accuracy and fairness. However, this process can be time-consuming and complex, and auditors face various challenges during the audit process. One way to address these challenges is by starting the audit early.

Benefits of Starting Audits Early

Starting audits early not only provides extra time for completing the same but also increases audit effectiveness. Here are some of the major benefits of starting audits early:

Effective Planning

The first and foremost reason why auditors should start their audits early is effective planning. It is the initial and crucial component of the audit process. Auditors must carefully plan the audit carefully to ensure that it is conducted effectively and efficiently. Starting the audit early provides the auditor with sufficient time to plan the audit effectively. This includes gathering all the necessary information and resources required for the audit, reviewing the previous year’s audit reports, and understanding the client’s business. With effective planning, the auditor can better understand the client’s business operations, identify any potential risks or issues, and determine the scope of the audit.

Early Detection of Issues

Starting the audit early provides auditors with sufficient time to identify and address issues that may arise during the audit process. Early detection offers an opportunity for auditors to investigate and resolve issues before they escalate into significant problems. For example, if auditors identify a potential fraud risk during the planning stage, they can thoroughly investigate it and develop appropriate audit procedures to address the risk.

Flexibility

Starting an audit early provides auditors with greater flexibility in scheduling. It allows auditors to work around the client’s schedule and address any unexpected issues that may arise during the audit process. For instance, if the client is unavailable during the scheduled audit period, auditors can adjust their schedule accordingly to ensure timely completion. Additionally, if unexpected issues arise during the audit process, auditors can adjust audit procedures to address them, which is easier with more time available.

Reduced Stress

Starting an audit early reduces stress for both auditors and clients. There is less pressure to complete the audit on time, reducing the likelihood of errors or oversights. If auditors start an audit too late, they may rush through procedures to meet the deadline, resulting in mistakes. This can cause stress for clients, worrying about the accuracy and completeness of their financial statements. By starting the audit early, auditors can avoid these issues and provide a more accurate and thorough audit report.

Improved Quality of the Audit

Starting an audit early improves the quality of the audit by allowing auditors to conduct a more thorough and comprehensive review of the client’s financial statements and accounting practices. With more time available, auditors can review financial statements and accounting records in more detail, leading to a more accurate and complete audit report. Additionally, auditors can perform more substantive testing to verify the accuracy of financial statements and identify potential errors or misstatements.

How You Can Make Your Audits Seamless?

One of the most important functions of an audit is confirmation and reconciliation, which can be a cumbersome and time-consuming process. Automating these processes allows auditors to focus on essential elements of the audit. But how can both these processes be automated?

Auditors have been relying on Firmway for automating their Confirmation and Reconciliation processes. Firmway offers a useful, scientific, and comprehensive solution for External Confirmations. Becoming tech-savvy and conducting audits using the latest tools and software has become paramount for the effective, accurate, in-depth, and timely completion of audits. Firmway provides various modules like Balance Confirmations, MSME Confirmations, TDS Reconciliation, GSTR-2A/2B, and purchase register reconciliation, etc., to seamlessly match the books with reported information and external parties. Are you auditing your clients with Firmway?

Enhance your audit process—start early and leverage Firmway’s Automation for a seamless and effective auditing experience.

Mastering 26AS Reconciliation: Proven Ways to make it a Breeze

Understanding the Need for Mastering 26AS Reconciliation

In recent years tax regulations have undergone humongous change. Many of these are being done with the intention of ensuring that all the transactions are duly reported to the Income Tax. Mastering 26AS Reconciliation amidst these evolving regulations.

Department (IT Department). With the help of this information, the IT Department will be able to analyze and catch hold of tax evaders.

Decoding Section 194Q: Mastering 26AS Reconciliation Amidst TDS On Goods

One such change is the introduction of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on the purchase of goods vide Section 194Q of the Income Tax Act (IT Act). The introduction of the same has resulted in flooding of the TDS entries in Form 26AS. It is a form which captures details of the TDS deducted and reported for a particular Taxpayer. Further, the IT Department relies on this form before allowing the TDS refund or adjustment of TDS against Income Tax liabilities. Therefore, it has indirectly become mandatory on the part of the Taxpayer to ensure that the Deductor has reported all the TDS in its Form 26AS. However, to identify the same one needs to first identify the Deductor who has not reported the same. Therefore, it has become necessary to reconcile Form 26AS.

However, Reconcile with what other data source?? There are two options 1) TDS ledger and 2) Sales Register. Let’s try to understand how each of these ways works and which one to select for your organization.

1) 26AS v/s TDS Ledger (Approach 1)

In this way, Form 26AS of Taxpayer is reconciled with the TDS receivable ledger maintained by the Taxpayer. This is a direct approach where we are comparing two different data sets capturing the same information.

2) 26AS v/s Sales Register (Approach 2)

In this way, Form 26AS is compared with what TDS should have been deducted for each and every sales line item. Assuming that the Tax Deductor has diligently deducted the TDS, this is an indirect way.

Both approaches have their benefits and drawbacks, so organizations should choose the one that best suits their needs. Below are the areas which one should consider before choosing the approach:

A) Timing of booking of TDS receivable

Most organizations book TDS Receivable at the time of payment receipt. So while doing reconciliation there will also be a date mismatch and in the scenario where there are ‘000s of line items, this becomes difficult to handle when we are opting for Approach 1. However, if linking of payment with invoice is available then Approach 1 can become very easy to implement.

If the organization books TDS Receivable on an ad hoc basis, it shall opt for Approach 2, provided all the other details are available.

B) Reporting pattern of Tax Deductor

Are the Tax Deductor reporting on the basis of the actual date or are they either putting the date of the end of the month or the end of the quarter? Accordingly, one shall select the approach of reconciliation. If the Tax Deductor is clubbing the amount for the quarter or month and just reporting a single line item then in that case just a TAN level month-wise or quarter-wise reconciliation will suffice.

C) Availability of TDS rate for each sales line item

Approach 2 is possible only when one has proper records of the TDS rate applicable on each sales invoice or each line item of the sales invoice. In many cases, when billing services and goods in a single invoice, each line item of the invoice will have a different TDS rate.

Hence, it is crucial to exercise precision when choosing an approach. Selecting the wrong method can elongate the activity and potentially result in repetition.

Future-Proofing Your Finances: Mastering 26AS Reconciliation for Long-Term Compliance

Organizations can also evaluate various software which are available to automate 26AS reconciliation. One such solution is provided by Firmway. Firmway’s 26AS reconciliation software provides both the approach as mentioned above. Moreover, it also provides the option of line level as well as TAN level reconciliation. To know more about Firmway’s 26AS Reconciliation Click here.

Step-by-Step Mastery of Section 194Q

Step-by-Step Mastery of Section 194Q: Your Expert Guide

Background

Business returns constitute less than 2% of overall Income Tax Returns filed in India for AY 2021-22, underscoring the pressing need for Step-by-Step Mastery of Section 194Q. Furthermore, clearly indicating evasion of taxes. To combat tax evasions and non-filing of returns, the Indian government has expanded TDS and TCS provisions in the past two years.

The government is working towards bringing dividends, purchases, sales, e-commerce operators, etc., all under the scope of TDS and TCS as it makes tracking transactions easier. Specifically, the TDS/TCS provisions on purchases and sales are redefining steps for India’s taxation system.

Mastering Section 194Q: Gaining Proficiency in Step-by-Step Mastery of Section 194Q and Understanding Its Impact

Section 194Q, introduced under the Finance Act, 2021, effective from 1st July 2021, aims to curb tax evasions and fraud. Additionally, it mandates that buyers with turnovers exceeding Rs 10 crores in the preceding financial year deduct tax on purchases over Rs 50 lakhs, given the seller’s Indian residency.

Moreover, with 194Q in effect, all high-volume sale/purchase transactions will come under record, thereby significantly reducing the chances of evasions. However, these provisions inevitably add to the concerns of the CFOs and tax heads of large-scale companies in terms of its implementation and reporting.

Challenges faced by large-scale companies are:

Since large-scale companies have a high volume of sales and purchases both, availing of accurate TDS credits as well as deducting vendor TDS get wearisome for tax and finance teams.

Year-on-year locking of tax credits is a common problem among large-scale enterprises. Errors in availing of TDS credits and deducting TDS affect working capital efficiencies and invite tax scrutiny.

The process of maintaining vendor records, obtaining low tax deduction certificates, tracking vendor payments, availing TDS/TCS credits, reconciling 26 AS, etc., is voluminous and time-consuming, especially when done manually.

Thus, finance and direct tax teams should find the automation and technology-enabled solutions. 

Streamlining Compliance with Section 194Q through Step-by-Step Automation

Technology and automation simplify the process of deducting, availing, and reconciling TDS/TCS, making Step-by-Step Mastery of Section 194Q easier. To avail complete TDS and TCS credits, reconciling 26 AS and maintaining accurate books of accounts is essential. Traditionally, companies reconcile 26AS at year-end as a post-mortem exercise, often resulting in credit losses. Companies should aim to perform this reconciliation quarterly.

Automation enables companies to incorporate reconciliation into their regular assessments. This, in turn, helps in proactive communication with vendors and reduces the risk of working capital shortages and credit losses.

One such software that assists 26 AS reconciliations is Firmway. It is a web-based SaaS software designed to streamline time-consuming reconciliations. Trusted by many big brands in India, it simplifies the reconciliation process for bulky 26 AS entries and books of accounts. It offers features such as PAN-TAN linking, automated reconciliation, and communication of differences. Thus, it makes accommodating new tax norms like 194Q trouble-free.

Conclusion

The Indian government is taking steps to make the country more tax-compliant, and large businesses should assist. Technology helps companies to abide by new tax laws swiftly. Regarding 26 AS reconciliations, automation helps highlight unresolved items and provides data-driven insights to CFOs. Hence, companies should adopt technology and automation software to contribute to building a tax-compliant economy.

Enhancing Accounting Cash Flow: A Journey from Data Gathering to Data Digging

Boosting Cash Flow: The Power of Data Digging in Accounting

Transforming Accounting: From Data Gathering to Enhancing Cash Flow

Traditionally, the role of accounting has always been the data keeper. The Accounts team has always been regarded as both a booster of cash flow and a cost center for businesses, merely maintaining records of Company activities. However, recent developments have assigned additional roles to account teams, altering this perception from mere data recording to actively boosting cash flow. The 21st Century has realized the importance of data and its analysis. Data analysis is not just limited to operation activities. It has also made its presence felt in account function as well. One such data digging exercise we will be focusing on today is boosting cash flow through Ledger reconciliation.

The Impact of Ledger Reconciliation on Cash Flow

Based on the clients that we have served we have observed the following results from the ledger reconciliation activities:

  • Rs 998 cr Vendor unadjusted advances identified.
  • Rs 3,761 cr Debit note raised by Company but not booked by vendor and customers.
  • Rs 2,942 cr invoice was reversed by the vendor even though GST credit was claimed by the Company.
  • Rs 314 cr Credit note issued by vendor but not accounted by Company.
  • Rs 53 cr TDS deducted by customers but not recorded by Company.

All the above can have a direct and/or indirect impact on the cash flow of the Company. If the account team is able to identify such a mismatch on a timely basis and deep dives into it then it can convert itself from a cost center to a profit center.

The Power of Automated Reconciliation

Manual reconciliations, even with Excel – MATCH, HIGHLIGHT, or LOOKUP formulas, bear the risk of human errors. Any inefficiency or deficiency in reconciliation plagues the entire enterprise; it affects the credibility of financials, causes inefficient decision-making, and affects the goodwill of a company. Automated reconciliation is the solution to all the above issues.

Automation can simplify and streamline the tedious reconciliations process. With minimal human involvement, the entire process of vendor communication, follow-ups, tracking, gathering, and summarizing voluminous information works automatically in the background. The added leverage of real-time analytics makes companies proactive and efficient. 

The Role of Technology in Accounting

Above shared observations are the result of use of technology for reconciliation. Therefore, the CFOs and Account teams shall keep adopting the technologies which can help them in analyzing and interpreting the huge data that rests with them.

One such cloud-based automation software is Firmway, started by a team of Chartered Accountants to simplify time-consuming reconciliations. Using the latest technology such as AI, it performs reconciliations at par with industry standards and practices.

Technology makes reconciliations, be it vendor, bank, GST, or TDS, simple and efficient. Furthermore, it simplifies the communication of reconciliation differences through a world-class online action tracker. Therefore, prioritizing the adoption of technology in accounting and reconciliations is crucial for CFOs and Account teams, ultimately leading to a boost in cash flow.

GSTR-2B Reconciliation: Protecting Your Bottom Line with ITC

GSTR-2B Reconciliation: Protecting Your Bottom Line with ITC

Background

In recent years, fraudulent practices have been prevalent in availing Input Tax Credit (ITC). In FY2021, more than Rs 35,000 crores of ITC was wrongly claimed. This misuse primarily stemmed from Rule 36 of the CGST Rules, 2017. This underscores the critical importance of GSTR-2B reconciliation.

Rule 36 amendment and its impact

The amendment introduces GSTR-2B as a benchmark for determining the amount of eligible ITC. From January 2022, businesses can avail of ITC only to the extent reflected in GSTR-2B. Earlier, Rule 36 allowed buyers to avail of provisional ITC (over and above the amount prevailing in GSTR-2B) up to 5% of the eligible ITC reflected in GSTR-2B, but not anymore. Restricting ITC to GSTR-2B impacts businesses negatively, especially large-scale companies with crores of ITC in the funnel. Thus, it has become increasingly vital to reconcile GSTR-2B and the purchase register.


Imagine losing crores of ITC due to inefficient reconciliation of GSTR-2B and purchase register. It will impact working capital and may even lead to a financial crisis. According to Ernst & Young – industry trends depict mismanagement of ITC may increase working capital requirements by 5-7% and negatively impact profit before tax by 1-2%.

The following illustrations explain how inefficient reconciliation of GSTR-2B and purchase register may lead to loss of ITC:

  1.  Say out of Rs 1,00,000/- of total purchases, the supplier furnishes details of Rs 70,000/- in GSTR-1. Therefore, GSTR-2B will depict eligible ITC as Rs 70,000/-, and ITC worth Rs 30,000/- will be lost until the supplier updates it.
  2. A failure to update purchase-related credit notes in GSTR-2B can also result in over claiming of ITC, which is subject to penalties. CGST law prohibits ITC claims for credit notes even if not yet updated in GSTR-2B.

Thus, the onus of reconciling GSTR-2B and the purchase register to reduce the risk of ITC disallowance and penalties is more prevalent than ever.

Why automate GSTR-2B reconciliation? 

Reconciliation of innumerable transactions of GSTR-2B and purchase register is a tedious task, especially when done manually. Reconciliation is possible with Excel formulas like LOOKUP, MATCH, etc., but to some extent only. There is always a risk of corrupting Excel files with heavy GSTR reports and purchase registers. Moreover, manual intervention in applying formulas also exposes you to errors, thus marking the need for automation in reconciliation.
According to Deloitte’s — GST@5 survey 2022, reconciling ITC with auto-generated reports (GSTR-2B) is the highest-ranked issue with GST and automation is an ideal solution. Adopting technology and automation for GST is prevailing in all — large, medium, or small-scale enterprises as they are losing crores of funds in ITC mismanagement.

One such software that can help you save crores is Firmway. It is a SaaS-based software company specializing in multi-GSTIN and multi-month reconciliation of GSTR-2B and purchase registers. This innovative platform automatically carries unmatched items from the previous month and matches them with the data from the following months. Achieving up to 95% accuracy, it relies on a unique blend of technology and algorithm. Not only reconciliation but technology also smoothens the further steps: vendor communication and summarizing reports. Thus, opt for technology to simplify the voluminous task of ITC reconciliations and save yourself from litigation.

External Confirmations In Audits: Best Practices For Success

External Confirmations In Audits: Best Practices For Success

Consequences of Non-Compliance with SAs

Members of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) must conduct financial audits following Standards on Auditing (SAs) when fulfilling their attestation function. These standards include procedures for external confirmations. These standards represent widely accepted audit procedures. Deviation from SAs, especially in matters related to external confirmations, necessitates a formal declaration by the member. Failure to do so may lead to disciplinary proceedings under The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949

One such standard is SA 505: External Confirmations. It discusses the use of external confirmations and procedures to obtain direct evidence from third parties as required in SA 330: The Auditor’s Responses to Assessed Risks and SA 500: Audit Evidence

External Confirmation is necessary to provide a true and fair view of a company’s financials. It serves as an extremely crucial piece of the puzzle when determining whether such financials are free from material misstatements or not.

External confirmations

External Confirmations is a substantive procedure used to obtain audit evidence as a direct written response from a third party (customer/ vendor/bank) to the auditor in a paper, electronic or any other form.  Generally, auditors use it to determine account balances, status, or terms of agreements. There are primarily three types of confirmation requests:

1. Positive Confirmation Request:

It requires the confirming party to directly respond to the auditor whether it agrees or disagrees with the information provided in the request. Positive confirmations provide reliable audit evidence.

2. Negative Confirmation Request:

It asks the confirming party to respond directly to the auditor only if the confirming party disagrees with the information provided in the request. They provide less persuasive audit evidence than positive confirmations.

3. Blank Confirmation Request:

It is a type of positive confirmation request where the third party (confirming party) is asked to fill in the amount or provide certain information. It provides persuasive audit evidence since the confirming party must verify the information before responding.

Why external confirmations is needed?

For instance, in Mahavir Jain vs. Disciplinary Committee (Appellate Authority), the auditor formed his opinion without obtaining and examining external confirmations of all bank balances as required by SA 505. Consequently, the Chartered Accountant Act of 1949 held him guilty under Part 1 of the Second Schedule. This was due to his failure to exercise the due diligence expected of him and not obtaining sufficient information to form an opinion.

Further, SA 505 is the 3rd most non-compliant standard as per Quality Review Board in Financial Year (FY) 2020-21.

Process of external confirmations

As we know, obtaining confirmations manually via letters or even e-mails is a cumbersome procedure. One needs to maintain records and follow up continuously. External confirmations involve repetition of the following steps for every audit:

  1. Determine the information to be confirmed;
  2. Choose the appropriate parties;
  3. Design the confirmation requests, properly addressed with a request to send responses directly to the auditor;
  4.  Send and follow-up requests.

To simplify and streamline this process, major firms are adopting automated confirmation procedures. This enables audit teams to concentrate on analyzing results and identifying exceptions rather than investing time in evidence collection.

A team of Chartered Accountants started Firmway, a web-based SaaS software company, to help auditors automate the confirmation process in compliance with auditing standards. They digitized the entire confirmation process. Auditors benefit from automating the time-consuming external confirmation process in the following way:

  • Save 90 % man-days by automating the process of sending, receiving, and tracking confirmations using our portal
  • Complete audit documentation as highlighted in peer review process 
  • Increase response rate by 2x
  • Send 1000+ confirmation requests in compliance with standards on auditing
Standardize Customer and Vendor Reconciliations-01

Streamlining Customer & Vendor Reconciliations with Firmway

Mastering Customer & Vendor Reconciliation: How Firmway Increases Reconciliation Efficiency?

Mastering customer and vendor reconciliation is a crucial account closure process that ensures the composition of an account balance matches with customer/ vendor reports. It substantiates that balances in financial statements are free from errors or misstatements. As a part of internal controls, it ensures the accuracy and completeness of certain ledger balances, such as banks, fixed assets, payables, receivables, etc.

The world is rapidly moving towards digitization, and this transformation is equally impacting the field of accounting. Automation, while a powerful tool, will not replace accountants but rather complement their roles. In fact, according to the 2021 EY Smart Closing & Reporting survey, where over 40% of company representatives were interviewed, there is a growing demand for higher levels of automation in various accounting processes, including accounts payable, receivable, and general accounting. Enter Firmway, a cutting-edge software solution that not only automates but also simplifies a wide range of reconciliation tasks, aligning perfectly with leading technology standards.

Out of all the ledger balances, reconciling customer and vendor accounts is the most tedious task due to countless transactions. Let’s understand customer and vendor reconciliation and how Firmway can increase and automate the reconciliation exercise.

Understanding Customer and Vendor Reconciliations

Customer Reconciliation 

Customer reconciliation is a critical activity for every business. It involves analyzing the receivables statements to identify any errors or irregularities. Customer reconciliation is a useful tool to get a clear idea of the actual position of receivables. In certain exceptional cases, it can be effective in identifying fraudulent activities pertaining to accounts receivable.

Advantages of Mastering Customer Reconciliation

  • Transactions with customers directly affect the revenue. Reconciling their accounts provides evidence supporting reported revenue. 
  • With regular reconciliations, you can keep track of aging accounts to ensure timely follow-ups. 
  • Helps facilitate internal and external audit and identify prospective bad-debts at an early stage.
  • Significantly reduce the likelihood of errors in receivable account management.

Vendor Reconciliation 

It involves comparing general ledger balances of vendors (suppliers) with statements from concerned vendors to identify and resolve differences.

Vendor reconciliation means reconciliation of a vendor’s account with the statement provided by the vendor.

Benefits of Mastering Vendor Reconciliation

  • Vendor balances are a result of credit purchases. Therefore, vendor reconciliation statements provide supporting evidence of purchases. 
  • Regular reconciliations help you resolve disputes and ensure the timely settlement of vendor accounts. 
  • Process checks the entity’s payables to vendor and vendors’ outstanding balances. This enables the company to identify duplicate invoice bookings.

Reconciling vendor and customer balances involve the study and analysis of countless transactions. KPMG’s Automation of financial reporting and technical accounting, September 2019 report, shows that more than 50% of businesses prepare financial records using MS Word and Excel. Furthermore, it is not a sustainable solution to accommodate the growing number of e-commerce transactions. Additionally, customer and vendor reconciliations provide corroborating evidence for two major account heads – revenue and purchases, of an Income statement. Moreover, the quality of these accounts is afflicted by manual intervention. As a result, inefficiency in the reconciliation process enhances the susceptibility of financial records to errors and misstatements.

Streamlining Reconciliation with Firmway’s Automation Software

To address these deficiencies effectively, it is essential to standardize and streamline the reconciliation process using automation software. With Firmway’s reconciliation software, data retrieval from customers and vendors is automated, ensuring a seamless experience. Moreover, using the embedded algorithm and smart AI tool, it can swiftly convert it to Excel format, organize it, and meticulously compare it with accounting records of respective companies to identify discrepancies. As a result, it saves accounting staff a considerable amount of time, allowing them to efficiently analyze the above-found differences.

Firmway: Your Solution for Seamless Customer and Vendor Reconciliation

Firmway is a web-based SaaS software providing automation in the space of confirmations & reconciliation. It offers multiple tools and services to automate all-round reconciliation and confirmation exercise whether it’s customer & vendor reconciliations, 26AS reconciliation, MSME confirmations or GST ITR reconciliations. It helps accountants and auditors utilize time and resources on analytical work rather than gathering and reconciling information. How are you dealing with reconciliations and confirmations? Time to do it with Firm-way!