Field notes
How to prepare documents for a procurement audit
Clean extracts and a clear owner for each file type shorten fieldwork and keep findings focused on controls rather than missing paperwork.
Assign one coordinator who can pull PO extracts, approval matrices, supplier onboarding packs, and AP matching procedures without chasing five departments for each request.
Export transactional data with stable identifiers: PO number, line, requester, approver, supplier code, ordered quantity, received quantity, invoice amount, and payment date. Incomplete columns force auditors to reconstruct links by hand.
Provide policy versions that were in force during the sample period, not only the latest draft. Testing against a policy that did not yet exist produces noise, not insight.
Set aside a quiet room for interviews and a secure share for sensitive supplier files. Delays in access stretch calendars and push findings workshops later than leadership expects.
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