Audit

Audit specific accounts or transactions for "$ARGUMENTS". Examine supporting documentation, test balances, and identify discrepancies or irregularities.

Arguments. $ARGUMENTS may contain the project name and optional flags. Take the first token as <project> and treat --skip-checks as a flag; never include flags in file paths. All paths below use <project>. If --skip-checks is present, skip the prerequisite check and, before writing any artifact, append one line to .singularskills/log.jsonl: {"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"accounting-audit","workflow":"accounting","phase":null,"project":"<project>","event":"skipped","artifact":"<artifact file>","note":"<reason or \"none given\">"}.

Compute with code. Perform every calculation (totals, balances, ratios, variances, projections) with a script — Bash, Python or a spreadsheet formula written to a file — and include the computation alongside the result. Never do arithmetic mentally.

Prerequisites

None — utility skill, run anytime. More effective when ledger data is available from Phase 3 or later.

Process

1. Define audit scope:

   • Which accounts or transaction types are being audited?
   • What period is covered?
   • What is the audit objective? (accuracy, completeness, existence, valuation, disclosure)
   • What materiality threshold applies?

2. Gather evidence:

   • Pull account balances and transaction details from the ledger
   • Request supporting documentation (invoices, contracts, confirmations)
   • Identify the population and select a sample (statistical or judgmental)

3. Perform audit procedures:

   • Vouching — trace recorded transactions back to source documents (tests existence/occurrence)
   • Tracing — trace source documents forward to recorded transactions (tests completeness)
   • Recalculation — independently recalculate key amounts
   • Confirmation — verify balances with third parties (banks, customers, vendors)
   • Analytical procedures — compare to expectations, prior periods, or industry benchmarks

4. Document findings:

   • For each finding, record:
     • Condition — what was found
     • Criteria — what was expected
     • Cause — why the discrepancy exists
     • Effect — financial impact
     • Recommendation — corrective action

5. Write the artifact to .singularskills/accounting/<project>/audit.md with sections:

   • Audit Scope & Objectives — what was audited and why
   • Procedures Performed — tests conducted and samples selected
   • Findings — each finding with condition, criteria, cause, effect, recommendation
   • Conclusion — overall assessment of account accuracy and reliability

Output

The audit written to .singularskills/accounting/<project>/audit.md. Present a summary highlighting:

• Number of findings by severity
• Total financial impact of discrepancies
• Key recommendations

End the artifact with this paragraph, verbatim:

Not financial or tax advice. This artifact is generated analysis for review by a qualified accountant or financial professional before any filing, reporting or decision relies on it.