· Reviewed by Nimra Khalid
What is audit support for CPA firms?
Audit support for CPA firms is outsourced staff assistance on assurance engagements: preparing lead schedules and workpapers, selecting and documenting samples, tying statements to the ledger, rolling forward prior-year files and managing prepared-by-client requests. The CPA firm designs the audit, supervises the work, evaluates the evidence and signs the report. The support team never expresses an opinion.
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Audit support: what we do and how it runs
Audit support for CPA firms is outsourced staff assistance on assurance engagements: preparing lead schedules and workpapers, selecting and documenting samples, tying statements to the ledger, rolling forward prior-year files and managing prepared-by-client requests. The CPA firm designs the audit, supervises the work, evaluates the evidence and signs the report. The support team never expresses an opinion.
01 / 06 -
What it is
Audit support for CPA firms is outsourced staff assistance on assurance engagements: preparing lead schedules and workpapers, selecting and documenting samples, tying statements to the ledger, rolling forward prior-year files and managing prepared-by-client requests. The CPA firm designs the audit, supervises the work, evaluates the evidence and signs the report. The support team never expresses an opinion.
02 / 06 -
What you get
Workpapers, sampling and tie-outs prepared to your audit methodology
03 / 06 -
How it runs
PBC lists chased and documents filed in your binder
04 / 06 -
Discovery call
We review your engagement calendar, methodology, binder software and where staff hours go today. You choose the engagements and areas to move first.
05 / 06 -
A named accountant, a backup and a team lead
Inside your own software, on a fixed close calendar, with a reply from a person within 1 business day. Call +1-657-777-0006 or start a quote.
Start a pilot 06 / 06
Who it is for
Small and mid-sized audit practices
You run 20 to 200 audits, reviews and compilations a year and seniors spend their time on tie-outs. We do the tie-outs so seniors judge the evidence.
Firms with nonprofit and employee benefit plan work
Single audits, Form 990 support schedules and plan audits pile up around the same deadlines. Extra hands on workpapers keep the calendar intact.
UK and Australian assurance teams
Statutory audit and review engagements need the same roll-forwards, samples and tie-outs. We prepare them in your templates during your working hours.
What's included
- Prior-year file roll-forward in CaseWare or your spreadsheet binder
- Lead schedules and supporting workpapers by financial statement area
- Sample selection and documentation to the parameters your senior sets
- Vouching and tracing of selected items to source documents
- Trial balance to financial statement tie-outs and footing checks
- Bank, receivable and payable confirmation preparation and tracking
- Analytical review calculations and first-draft explanations
- Fixed-asset, prepaid, accrual and debt roll-forwards
- Prepared-by-client list management and document chasing in your name
- Financial statement and disclosure checklist first pass
- Review notes cleared and workpapers updated within your workflow
Deliverables and KPIs
| Deliverable | KPI we report | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Rolled-forward binder | Prior-year workpapers rolled and indexed before fieldwork starts | Per engagement |
| Workpapers by area | Every lead schedule ties to the trial balance and is cross-referenced | Per engagement |
| Sample documentation | Selections, source references and exceptions recorded to your template | Per engagement |
| PBC status | Every open request chased on schedule and aged for the senior | Weekly |
| Financial statement tie-out | Statements, notes and schedules footed and agreed to the binder | Per engagement |
| Review notes cleared | Notes addressed and workpapers re-issued within one business day | Per engagement |
KPIs are what we measure and report, agreed per engagement. Service-level commitments are set in your agreement.
How it works
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Discovery call
We review your engagement calendar, methodology, binder software and where staff hours go today. You choose the engagements and areas to move first.
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Templates and supervision plan
We adopt your workpaper templates, indexing and sign-off conventions, and agree how your senior assigns tasks, sets sample parameters and reviews our work. Access is set up in your binder and portal.
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First engagement in parallel
A named associate, backup and team lead work one engagement under your senior. Every workpaper is reviewed by your team and ours, and we adjust the checklist before the next engagement.
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Busy-season operations
Staff take assigned areas across your calendar. Workpapers pass our Two-Tier Review, your senior reviews and concludes, and your engagement partner signs.
Software we work in
How much does audit support cost?
Audit support is priced per associate seat per month, or per engagement for firms that want unit pricing, with the backup and team lead included. Seasonal seats are available for year-end and single-audit peaks, and engagements run month-to-month with no setup fee. Pricing depends on volume and scope, and we send a custom quote within 1 business day.
What moves the quote
- Number of engagements and the areas assigned to us on each
- Engagement type: audit, review, compilation, single audit or benefit plan
- Binder software and how complete your templates and methodology are
- Seasonality: year-round seats or peak-season pods
Market benchmarks
| Market | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US | $10 to $25 per hour for offshore accounting support versus $40 to $75 per hour for US-based staff | Madras Accountancy, Acculink (2026) |
| US | $8 to $35 per hour all-inclusive for offshore staffing depending on seniority | Rose Talent (2026) |
| UK | £20 to £55 per hour for outsourced accounting support | UK provider pricing surveys (2026) |
| Australia | A$40 to A$100 per hour for local accounting support | Australian bookkeeping fee surveys (2026) |
Third-party ranges for orientation, not our prices.
Start a pilot No setup fee. Month-to-month.
Audit support for your industry
Security and compliance
- Least-privilege access to your binder and portal, MFA on every login, access logged
- NDA per firm and per engagement, background-checked staff, managed devices, no local downloads
- Client evidence stays in your binder; nothing is copied to our systems
Full control list on the security page and country rules on the compliance page. Certifications are listed only when held.
Frequently asked questions
How much does audit support for CPA firms cost?
Pricing depends on volume and scope, and we send a custom quote within 1 business day. As a market reference, offshore accounting support for CPA firms typically runs $10 to $25 per hour versus $40 to $75 for US-based staff (Madras Accountancy, Acculink, 2026). Most audit practices are quoted per associate seat per month or per engagement.
Do you sign audit reports or give an opinion?
No. We never issue an audit, review or compilation report and never express an attest opinion. Our staff perform procedures assigned and supervised by your engagement team, and your CPA firm evaluates the evidence, reaches the conclusions and signs. Independence and supervision requirements stay with your firm's quality management system.
How does using offshore staff fit our quality management and independence requirements?
Our staff work as component members of your engagement team under your direction, review and supervision, which is how your methodology already treats junior staff. We provide independence confirmations for assigned staff on request, follow your firm's documentation standards and keep every workpaper in your binder so your quality reviewer sees the full trail.
How is client confidentiality protected on audit files?
Evidence stays in your binder and portal; nothing is copied to our systems or downloaded to local devices. Access is least-privilege with MFA and a per-user log. Staff are background-checked and sign an NDA for your firm and each engagement. You can remove access from your side when an engagement closes.
Will this increase the senior's review time?
On the first engagement, yes, because your senior is setting the standard. After that, workpapers arrive footed, cross-referenced and checked under our Two-Tier Review, so seniors review the evidence and the conclusions rather than the arithmetic. Review notes are tracked per engagement and cleared within one business day.
Which binder and ledger software do you work in?
CaseWare and spreadsheet binders for workpapers, with client ledgers in QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct or NetSuite for tie-outs. Document requests and status live in Karbon, Canopy or your audit portal. We adopt your templates, indexing and sign-off conventions rather than bringing our own.
Can you work in our time zone during fieldwork?
Yes. We cover US Eastern and Pacific hours, UK hours and Australian Eastern hours. During fieldwork our staff are available while your senior is working so questions on samples and exceptions are answered the same day. Overnight batch work such as roll-forwards can be scheduled if you prefer.
Is IRS section 7216 consent needed for audit work?
Not for audit and assurance work itself, because section 7216 covers tax-return information. If the same engagement includes tax return preparation, for example a Form 990 for a nonprofit audit client, the consent is collected before that return information is shared, through our tax preparation support process.
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