A PBC ("prepared by client") list that asks for everything gets back some of everything, late. A list that ties each request to an audit purpose gets the right documents sooner and lets the client prioritize. This list covers cash, receivables and revenue. It follows the structure in the general PBC list guide; companion lists cover inventory, fixed assets and leases and debt, equity and payroll.
How to read the table
For each item: the request, the audit purpose (what the evidence does), the preferred form and when to ask. "Interim" means during interim fieldwork; "year-end" means after the balance sheet date.
Cash
| Request | Purpose | Form | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| List of all bank and investment accounts, open or closed in the period, with signers | Completeness of the confirmation population | Signed listing | Interim |
| Authorization and contact for each bank to send confirmations | Control of confirmation | Signed forms | Interim |
| Bank statements for every account, all months, plus January and February | Reconciliation testing and cutoff | PDF from bank portal | Year-end |
| Bank reconciliations for every account at year end and for two or three interim months | Existence, accuracy; reconciling item testing | Spreadsheet with preparer and reviewer sign-off | Year-end |
| Outstanding check and deposit-in-transit listings with dates | Cutoff, stale check evaluation | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Interbank transfer listing for the last two weeks of the year and first two weeks after | Transfer schedule, kiting test | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Petty cash count sheets | Existence | Signed count | Year-end |
| Restricted cash agreements | Classification, disclosure | Contracts | Interim |
| Cash receipts journal for the last week and the first week after | Cutoff | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
See bank confirmations and interbank transfer schedule.
Receivables
| Request | Purpose | Form | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts receivable aging at year end, by customer and invoice, tied to the general ledger | Population for confirmations and tests; completeness | Spreadsheet from the system, with the tie-out | Year-end |
| Customer master with address, contact, terms, credit limit | Confirmation addresses; related party matches | Spreadsheet | Interim |
| List of credit memos issued after year end | Cutoff and returns | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Subsequent cash receipts through the audit date, by customer | Alternative procedure and collectibility | Spreadsheet or bank detail | Year-end, updated |
| Allowance for credit losses calculation, with inputs and approvals | Estimate testing | Spreadsheet with policy | Year-end |
| Customer disputes, collection notes, bankruptcy notices | Collectibility | Memo | Year-end |
| Bad debt write-offs by month with approvals | Existence, control | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Related party and employee receivables | Disclosure | Listing | Interim |
| Customer concentration schedule | Concentration disclosure | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Factoring or pledging agreements | Classification, disclosure | Contracts | Interim |
See receivables confirmation exceptions and aging and allowance.
Revenue
| Request | Purpose | Form | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue by month, product, customer, with tie to the ledger | Analytical procedures and test populations | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Sales journal or invoice register, full year | Sample selection, completeness | System export | Year-end |
| Significant contracts and amendments, with a list of new contracts in the period | Recognition testing, performance obligations | Contracts | Interim |
| Revenue recognition policy memo and any technical analysis | Understanding and accounting | Memo | Interim |
| Shipping log and bills of lading for the last and first ten days around year end | Cutoff | Spreadsheet and copies | Year-end |
| Credit memo and return listing for the period and after | Cutoff and returns reserve | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Deferred revenue schedule with rollforward | Cutoff, contract liability | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Rebates, discounts, price concessions agreements | Variable consideration | Contracts | Interim |
| Sales tax filings | Reasonableness | Returns | Year-end |
| Sales commission calculations | Analytical test of revenue | Spreadsheet | Year-end |
| Related party sales listing | Disclosure | Spreadsheet | Interim |
See revenue recognition audit procedures and revenue testing worked example.
Format rules that save time
- Ask for system exports, not retyped spreadsheets. State the system and the report name where known.
- Ask that every schedule tie to the trial balance, with the tie shown on the schedule.
- Give a due date for each item, not for the whole list.
- Identify the client contact for each item.
- Specify the cutoff date for each list (year-end, or through a date).
Interim versus year-end
Items that do not depend on year-end close, such as contracts, policies and account lists, move to interim. This front-loads the client's work and the auditor's reading. See busy season capacity planning.
Tailor, then trim
Delete items that do not apply. A services client without inventory does not need shipping logs. A cash-basis client does not need an allowance calculation. Add items the risk assessment demands: for a client with international sales, add foreign currency rates and customs paperwork. A tailored list reads as competent to the client.
What not to put on the list
- Requests for evidence the auditor should obtain directly, such as bank balances and loan terms, which come from the bank through confirmation rather than from a client-supplied copy.
- Requests for documents the client does not create in its normal course, which invite fabrication.
- Open-ended requests with no purpose: "all contracts."
Tracking
The list goes into a tracker with request date, due date, received date, quality check and the workpaper where the item was used. See PBC request tracking.
CORAA prepares ready-to-review audit files for US CPA firms; the firm keeps the client, the review and the signature. See /us.
Sources
- AICPA, AU-C Section 500, Audit Evidence; AU-C Section 505, External Confirmations; AU-C Section 330, Performing Audit Procedures in Response to Assessed Risks and Evaluating the Audit Evidence Obtained
- FASB, Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers
- U.S. Government Accountability Office, Financial Audit Manual, Volume 1 (GAO-26-108577), June 2026: gao.gov (FAM 470, external confirmation and substantive procedures)
Part of CORAA University · Evidence and audit procedures: related guides, calculators and templates.
AU-C references are to AICPA Professional Standards, paraphrased here; read the standard itself before relying on a requirement. This page is guidance, not professional advice. Report an error