01
Finance process improvement
Map how work currently moves through the finance function, clarify ownership and remove repeated delays or manual workarounds.
- Finance-process reviews
- Financial reporting workflows
- Reconciliation-process improvement
Finance process and controls advisory
Strengthen the processes behind your financial information.
Use practical finance process improvement and financial controls advisory to strengthen close procedures, reconciliations and reporting workflows.
What we can support
Practical improvements across the finance workflow.
We agree the exact scope, responsibilities and timetable around the business rather than applying a fixed package.
02
Month-end close and financial controls
Create a more dependable close sequence with clearer preparation, review, evidence and control responsibilities.
- Month-end close process design
- Internal-control documentation
- Accounts payable and receivable controls
03
Reporting, policies and systems
Improve the way financial information is produced, documented and supported by the accounting system.
- Management reporting design
- Accounting policies and procedure manuals
- Financial data-quality reviews
- Accounting-system implementation support
04
Audit preparation and remediation
Organise schedules and address known accounting-process weaknesses while keeping external audit and assurance fully separate.
- Audit-preparation schedules
- External-auditor information packs
- Remediation of accounting-process weaknesses
What this looks like in practice
Finance process improvement should remove a specific source of delay, error or uncertainty.
The work begins with the process that is failing, not with a generic controls checklist. The objective is to make responsibilities, evidence, review and reporting more dependable for the people operating the finance function.
Follow information from source to report
A process review maps how transactions and supporting information enter the accounting system, how key balances are reconciled and how the resulting reports are reviewed. This exposes unclear ownership, duplicated work, manual handoffs, missing evidence and tasks that depend on undocumented knowledge.
For month-end close support, the output may include a close calendar, responsibility matrix, reconciliation standards, review checkpoints and an issues log. The design needs to fit the size of the team and the systems already in use so that the improved process can be maintained after the project ends.
- Month-end close calendar
- Reconciliation ownership and review
- Accounts payable and receivable controls
- Reporting workflow and data-quality checks
Document controls without claiming assurance
Control documentation can define the purpose of a control, who performs it, who reviews it, what evidence is retained and how exceptions are resolved. Policies and procedure manuals should describe the process the business can actually operate rather than an idealised version that is ignored in practice.
The service may also organise schedules and information requested by an appointed external auditor. Irish Accounting Partner does not perform internal audit, statutory audit or independent assurance, and it does not express an opinion on whether controls are effective.
The commercial result
A finance workflow that is clearer to operate, review and improve.
Clear responsibilities
Important tasks have defined owners, reviewers, evidence and completion points.
A more dependable close
Reconciliations and reporting steps follow an agreed sequence instead of relying on last-minute intervention.
Better financial data
Process weaknesses that create incomplete, inconsistent or late information are identified and addressed.
More organised audit preparation
Schedules and information packs can be prepared for the external auditor without presenting the work as assurance.
When it makes sense
For finance functions where the process is creating avoidable risk or delay.
Service boundary: This is process and controls advisory. It is not statutory audit, internal audit or independent assurance.
- Month-end close depends on undocumented knowledge or repeated manual intervention
- Reconciliations and reviews are inconsistent or difficult to evidence
- Reporting workflows no longer suit the size or complexity of the business
- Management needs to address accounting-process weaknesses before the next external audit
How the engagement works
Practical process improvement grounded in how finance work gets done.
We map the current process, clarify responsibilities and identify improvements that make financial information more timely, consistent and traceable.
The work may support audit preparation and remediation, but it does not provide an audit opinion, internal audit service or independent assurance.
Clear ownership
Document who prepares, reviews and resolves each important finance task.
Repeatable workflows
Reduce dependence on memory and last-minute intervention.
Better evidence
Keep reconciliations, schedules and review information organised and traceable.
Your first working cycle
The first review follows the information from source to report.
Map the current process
Document how key finance tasks are prepared, reviewed, corrected and reported today.
Prioritise weaknesses
Identify where delays, unclear ownership, weak evidence or repeated errors have the greatest impact.
Design practical improvements
Agree changes to workflows, reconciliations, documentation and review responsibilities that the team can operate.
What our team will need
A focused start depends on the right information.
- Access to current procedures, schedules and reporting workflows
- Input from the people who prepare and review finance work
- Examples of recurring delays, errors or unresolved audit requests
- A named owner for implementing agreed process changes
Ways to engage
The right scope depends on the condition of the information, reporting frequency and level of senior input. See how fees are scoped.
Questions before you enquire
Clear answers about scope and fit.
Is this an internal audit service?
No. It is finance-process and controls advisory. Irish Accounting Partner does not provide internal audit, statutory audit, an audit opinion or independent assurance through this service.
Can you help us prepare for our external audit?
Yes. The work can organise schedules, improve reconciliations and prepare information packs for your appointed external auditor, while keeping the audit itself fully separate.
Do recommendations include implementation support?
They can. The scope may cover the review only or include practical help with workflows, documentation, reporting design and remediation actions.
Complimentary 20-minute finance consultation
Fix the finance process that keeps slowing the business down.
Tell us where close, reconciliations, reporting or audit preparation repeatedly breaks down. Our team can help identify a practical first scope.
Speak with our accountancy team. No obligation and no need to choose a service beforehand.