Field notes
When a review is enough — and when you still need an audit
Not every lender or shareholder letter requires a full statutory audit. Understanding the difference saves fees and calendar time — or prevents a painful mid-process upgrade.
Review-level work
A review emphasizes inquiry and analytical procedures. The report provides limited assurance. It suits renewals where the facility letter explicitly accepts a review, or board packs where directors want an outside read without opinion-level work.
Audit-level work
An audit includes substantive testing, and often inventory observation and confirmations. The opinion speaks to whether the statements are fairly presented. Banks, regulators, and many shareholder agreements still require this level.
Decision checklist
Read the exact wording in your facility or articles. Ask whether opening balances were ever audited. If you are unsure, send us the clause — scoping is faster than guessing wrong and restarting fieldwork.