Substantive Testing Agent
Selects samples, vouches them to source documents and records each result with the evidence attached.
The challenge
Vouching a sample of sixty transactions means opening sixty invoices, sixty bank lines and often sixty delivery notes. The work is repetitive, and attention fades long before the sample ends.
What the agent does
- Selects the sample using the firm’s sampling method and documents how it was drawn.
- Reads each supporting document and compares amount, date, counterparty and period with the ledger entry.
- Records the result for each item with the evidence linked and the matched fields highlighted.
- Sets out exceptions with the likely cause, for example a cut-off difference, a missing document or an amount mismatch.
Your people stay in control
The agent reports matches and exceptions. Whether an exception is an error, and what it means for the audit, is decided by the auditor.
Works with
- Engagement software
- Client document stores
- Bank statement feeds
How we measure success
- Testing hours per sample
- Agreement with re-performance by staff
- Exceptions correctly classified
Kind of work
Decisions and approvals. The agent gathers the evidence, recommends a decision, and passes anything that is not simple to a person.
More in Accounting & Audit
Client Acceptance and Independence AgentRuns identity, AML, conflict and independence checks for new clients and drafts the engagement letter.Client Data Normalisation AgentTurns messy trial balances, ledgers and exports into clean financial data mapped to the firm’s own leadsheets.PBC Request and Evidence AgentBuilds the request list, chases the client, and checks each document received against what was asked for.Workpaper Preparation AgentRolls forward last year’s file and prepares leadsheets, reconciliations and tie-outs for the associate to complete.
Want this working in your firm?
We can show it working on real examples from your business before you commit to a full build.