Don’t Let the Audit Undo Your Year

Published: 17th Mar 26

Mid-year clean-up tips for CFOs who want a smoother year-end

A clean year-end starts long before year-end. Here’s how to stay audit-ready all year round.

Most CFOs wait until year-end to prepare for audit.

But by then, it’s too late.

The gaps are already there – Control accounts unreconciled. Balance sheet items unexplained. Accruals and prepayments that haven’t been touched since January.

The clean-up takes weeks. The audit drags on. And your board loses confidence in the numbers.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here’s what the best-run finance teams do mid-year to stay on track:

1. Reconcile every control account - even the small ones

Payroll clearing. VAT. Deposits. Prepayments. Don’t wait for audit prep to catch errors. Reconcile everything monthly, and catch issues early while they’re still fresh.

2. Review your accounting treatments proactively

Don’t wait for the auditor to spot a misclassified lease, incorrectly treated grant, or unpaid bonus not accrued. Mid-year is the time to double-check accounting judgements while changes are still easy to apply.

3. Clear out old accruals and aged creditors

Accruals hanging on the balance sheet from 8 months ago? Creditors that haven’t been paid – or chased? If they aren’t valid, clear them now. Your auditor will ask anyway.

4. Run a trial audit file before Q4

Treat your September or October close like a soft year-end. Prep the schedules, explanations, and reconciliations early – so year-end becomes confirmation, not correction.

The smoother your audit, the more confidence you build.

And that starts now.