Our Budget Audit Methodology
We've spent years refining how we approach financial audits for Australian businesses. It's not just about checking numbers—it's about understanding where your money goes and why some patterns keep repeating.
Why Our Process Works Differently
Most audit services focus on compliance. That's fine, but it misses something important. We started noticing back in 2023 that businesses needed more than a tick-box exercise—they needed someone to actually look at their spending patterns and ask uncomfortable questions.
Our methodology emerged from working with over 200 Australian SMEs between 2022 and 2025. We noticed the same budget issues kept appearing: unclear expense categories, duplicated subscriptions, and departments working in silos without realising they were buying the same services twice.
So we built a system that treats your budget as a living document rather than a static spreadsheet. We map relationships between departments, track spending trends across quarters, and identify where your processes might be creating unnecessary costs.
Three Phases We Follow
Each audit moves through distinct stages—we don't rush this because the early work sets everything else up.
Discovery & Mapping
We start by understanding your current budget structure. This means talking to department heads, reviewing your past 18 months of expenses, and mapping how decisions actually get made—not how your org chart says they should.
Pattern Analysis
Once we understand your structure, we look for patterns you might not see from inside. Seasonal variations, vendor overlap, approval bottlenecks. We compare your spending against industry benchmarks from similar Australian businesses.
Recommendations & Planning
You'll get a detailed report, but more importantly, we sit down with your team and work through what changes make sense for your specific situation. Some recommendations are quick wins; others need planning for the next financial year.
Who Runs Your Audit
You'll work with experienced auditors who've seen everything from startups to established enterprises. They know what good budget management looks like—and what warning signs to watch for.
Henrik Lindqvist
Senior Auditor
Henrik joined us in 2021 after working in corporate finance for twelve years. He specialises in finding budget inefficiencies in medium-sized businesses and has a particular talent for explaining complex financial patterns in plain language.
Freya Connolly
Budget Analyst
Freya came to us from the non-profit sector where she managed budgets under constant scrutiny. She's excellent at building relationships with nervous stakeholders and making the audit process feel collaborative rather than confrontational.
What You Can Expect
- A comprehensive audit report delivered within 6-8 weeks of starting, depending on your organisation's complexity and data availability
- Clear identification of budget areas that need attention, with specific examples and evidence from your own financial records
- Practical recommendations prioritised by potential impact and ease of implementation
- Support during implementation if you need help presenting findings to senior management or boards
- Follow-up consultation available in Q4 2025 to review how implemented changes are performing