CORAA

Form 3CD Clause-wise Working Paper Index — Audit File Completeness Tracker

A single tracker mapping every high-frequency Form 3CD clause to its supporting working paper reference, preparer, reviewer and status — so the audit file can demonstrate every clause is actually backed by evidence, not just filled in.

Free · CORAA original — SA-aligned
Updated 28 Jul 2026
Companion to
Form 3CD / Form 3CA / Form 3CB
Standard
SA 230 — audit documentation
Use
Confirms every clause is evidenced, not just filled in
Format
Microsoft Word (.docx)
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Your firm — letterhead
Appears at the top of the document as the audit firm letterhead.
Used as the letterhead block.
Engagement details
The client and period this document is for.
What’s inside

An excerpt from the template.

FORM 3CD CLAUSE-WISE WORKING PAPER INDEX

Entity: ___ · PAN: ___ · Assessment Year: ___

Purpose: Form 3CD itself is the prescribed statement of particulars (see the companion Form 3CD / Form 3CA / Form 3CB templates) — this index is the audit-file cross-reference confirming that every clause requiring a factual determination or computation is actually backed by a dated, reviewed working paper, per SA 230's "experienced auditor" test.

This index deliberately lists only the highest-frequency clauses as a starting checklist — verify the complete clause set (and any AY-specific additions/omissions, e.g. CBDT Notification 23/2025 for AY 2025-26) against the current Form 3CD utility and add rows for every other clause applicable to this assessee.

↑ Excerpt only — the full template is what you download as Word
About this template

What you’re downloading, and when to use it.

This template follows the format published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) in the AASB Audit Working Paper Templates (June 2023), the authoritative reference for Indian statutory-audit documentation. Fill in your firm’s letterhead and the engagement details on the form above, click Download Word file, and you’ll get a fully formatted .docx ready to use.

Everything is generated in your browser and on a stateless API endpoint — no account, nothing stored on our servers. We’ll ask for a work email once before your first download so we can send you the file and the occasional relevant update; after that, downloads on this device are instant. Edit freely in Word, Google Docs or Pages before sending to your client.

Common questions

FAQs.

How is this different from the Form 3CD template itself?
The Form 3CD template is the actual CBDT-prescribed statement of particulars — the document that gets filed. This index is a separate audit-file working paper: a tracking table that confirms, clause by clause, which specific working paper supports each factual entry in Form 3CD, who prepared it, who reviewed it, and its completion status. It exists to demonstrate documentation completeness under SA 230, not to replace the filed form.
Why does this list only 14 clauses when Form 3CD has 44?
These are the highest-frequency, most commonly-queried clauses in practice (TDS compliance, Section 40 disallowances, Section 43B, related-party payments, cash-transaction limits). The remaining clauses still need documentation — add rows for every clause genuinely applicable to the specific assessee's facts rather than relying on this starting list as exhaustive.
Does the applicable clause set change every year?
Yes — CBDT periodically amends the Form 3CD clause set (for example, Notification 23/2025 omitted two clauses and added others effective for reports signed on or after 1 April 2025). Reconfirm the clause set against the current-year Form 3CD utility before finalising this index for any given assessment year.
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