NetherBridge Partners helps Dutch companies, foreign-owned entities and international groups prepare the financial schedules, reconciliations and supporting information requested during annual, interim and group audits.
Depending on the agreed scope, we can coordinate the audit request list, prepare supporting schedules, track auditor questions, help explain financial information and follow approved adjustments through the accounting records.
Audit support prepares and organises the company’s side of an external audit. This may involve closing and reconciling the accounting records, preparing requested schedules, collecting supporting documents and coordinating responses to the auditor.
Periodic support can begin before year-end. Monthly or quarterly reconciliations, interim-audit preparation and follow-up of earlier findings can help the company maintain a more structured audit file throughout the year.
NetherBridge does not replace the independent auditor. The auditor determines the audit procedures, evaluates the evidence and issues any audit opinion.
The appropriate support depends on why the audit is being performed, which auditor is involved and how complete the company’s records are.
Preparation of opening balances, comparative information, historical schedules and supporting records for a company entering an audit requirement.
Year-end audit-file preparation, reconciliations, supporting schedules and coordination of the external auditor’s requests.
Preparation for work performed before year-end, including process information, control evidence and selected transaction support.
Support for a Dutch entity responding to instructions and reporting deadlines from a parent company or group auditor.
Preparation for an audit requested by shareholders, investors, lenders, a parent company or another stakeholder.
Practical support where the internal finance team needs additional capacity during closing, file preparation or auditor follow-up.
Current Dutch guidance classifies companies using balance-sheet total, net turnover and average employee numbers. A company generally falls into a size category when at least two of the three relevant criteria are met for two successive financial years.
Medium-sized and large companies generally need an audit opinion as part of their annual-reporting package. However, the assessment can depend on consolidated figures, group relationships, the financial year, sector-specific rules and whether an exemption may apply.
The position should be checked before the audit timetable is planned. A voluntary audit, review or group-audit requirement may also apply even if the Dutch entity is not independently subject to a statutory audit.
A statutory audit must be carried out by an appropriately licensed audit firm. The auditor is responsible for independence, the audit approach, materiality, evidence requirements, conclusions and the audit opinion.
NetherBridge can help the company prepare information and manage the operational process. We do not issue the audit opinion and cannot determine which evidence the auditor will accept.
Support can cover one part of the audit process or a coordinated preparation project. The exact responsibilities are agreed after reviewing the auditor’s requests, the accounting records and the internal finance capacity.
Align key dates, reporting responsibilities, internal owners and dependencies with the company’s closing and audit calendar.
Review the “prepared by client” request list, assign owners, track deadlines and maintain an overview of submitted and outstanding information.
Prepare or review account reconciliations, movement schedules, calculations and explanations based on the available accounting records.
Support the preparation of draft financial statements, consolidation schedules or group-reporting information where included in scope.
Coordinate questions, collect further evidence and track proposed adjustments for management review and approval.
Process approved entries, update schedules, track findings and improve recurring close or audit-preparation instructions.
The precise information depends on the auditor’s approach, materiality and request list. The examples below show common financial areas that may require schedules and supporting documents.
| Financial area | Possible schedule | Possible supporting information |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and banks | Bank reconciliation and list of outstanding items. | Bank statements, confirmations, payment details and explanations of reconciling items. |
| Trade receivables | Aged debtor list and general-ledger reconciliation. | Customer invoices, receipts, credit notes, collection information and balance explanations. |
| Trade payables | Aged creditor list and general-ledger reconciliation. | Supplier invoices, payment records, unmatched items and subsequent-payment information. |
| Revenue | Revenue reconciliation and breakdown by relevant category. | Contracts, invoices, delivery information, credit notes and cut-off support. |
| Fixed assets | Opening-to-closing asset movement schedule. | Purchase invoices, disposals, depreciation calculations and asset-register details. |
| Payroll | Payroll-to-ledger and payroll-tax reconciliation. | Payroll reports, employment information, tax filings and payment records. |
| VAT and tax accounts | Return-to-ledger and assessment reconciliation. | Returns, assessments, correspondence, payments and explanations of differences. |
| Equity and financing | Equity movement and loan schedules. | Shareholder resolutions, loan agreements, interest calculations and bank documentation. |
| Intercompany | Balance and transaction reconciliation by counterparty. | Group confirmations, invoices, agreements, settlement details and foreign-exchange calculations. |
| Estimates and provisions | Movement and calculation schedule. | Management assumptions, underlying data, contracts and approval documentation. |
| Support type | Main purpose | Typical timing | Typical focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual audit support | Prepare the company’s records and schedules for the year-end external audit. | Shortly before and after the financial year-end. | Annual accounts, closing balances, reconciliations and supporting evidence. |
| Interim audit support | Prepare information for audit work carried out before year-end. | During the financial year. | Processes, controls, selected transactions and early issue identification. |
| Periodic audit readiness | Maintain more structured records throughout the year. | Monthly or quarterly. | Balance-sheet reconciliations, control evidence and open-point tracking. |
| Group or component audit | Support a Dutch entity responding to parent-company or group-auditor instructions. | Based on the group reporting calendar. | Reporting packages, mappings, intercompany balances and group-request coordination. |
A first audit may require information that was not previously maintained in an audit-ready format. Opening balances, comparative figures and older transactions may need additional support.
A Dutch subsidiary may have to respond to local audit requests and separate instructions from a foreign parent company or group auditor. These workstreams may use different formats, deadlines and account mappings.
Clear responsibility helps avoid duplicated work and protects the independent auditor’s role.
| Activity | Company management | NetherBridge support | Independent auditor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting records | Retains responsibility for complete and accurate records. | May prepare, reconcile or review records within the agreed scope. | Tests selected records and evidence based on the audit approach. |
| Financial statements | Responsible for preparation, judgments, approval and adoption. | May support drafting and underlying schedules. | Audits the financial statements where engaged. |
| PBC request list | Provides information, explanations and approvals. | May coordinate requests, owners, deadlines and submissions. | Determines the information and evidence required. |
| Estimates and judgments | Makes and approves assumptions and accounting judgments. | May compile calculations and supporting information. | Evaluates and challenges the judgments as part of the audit. |
| Audit adjustments | Reviews and approves or rejects proposed entries. | May explain the impact and process approved entries. | Identifies and discusses proposed adjustments where appropriate. |
| Audit opinion | Does not issue the opinion. | Does not issue the opinion. | Solely responsible for any audit opinion issued. |
The stages can be adapted to an annual audit, interim review period, first-year audit or group-reporting cycle.
Review the audit timetable, reporting framework, auditor requests, internal resources and group instructions.
Identify unreconciled balances, missing documents, unclear responsibilities and priority accounting issues.
Complete agreed closing tasks and prepare the required account reconciliations and movement schedules.
Organise schedules, calculations, contracts and supporting documents in a structured submission file.
Track follow-up requests, assign owners and support explanations or further evidence where available.
Process approved adjustments, close open points and update the preparation approach for the next cycle.
The initial review is more effective when the audit instructions, prior findings and underlying financial records are available together.
If the external auditor has already issued a request list, share the latest version together with its deadlines and submission instructions.
The required work usually depends on whether this is a first or recurring audit, the number of entities, consolidation requirements, the volume of auditor requests and the quality of the accounting records.
Unreconciled accounts, missing evidence, historical issues, complex estimates, group instructions and short auditor deadlines can increase the preparation work.
Timing also depends on the availability of management, internal process owners, the external auditor and relevant third parties. A working plan can be confirmed after an initial review.
Share the audit timetable, request list, prior findings and current accounting status. We can review the information and propose a practical preparation scope.
Audit support works best when the underlying bookkeeping, reporting responsibilities and communication with the external auditor are coordinated.
Focused support for reconciliations, financial schedules, request tracking and the records behind the audit file.
Support for Dutch entities with foreign owners, parent companies, group-reporting requirements or overseas finance teams.
Audit preparation can be coordinated with ongoing accounting, annual accounts, tax compliance and corporate documentation.
These public resources provide general information. Audit, filing and company-size requirements should be checked against the entity’s current facts, group position and financial year.
Annual audit support prepares and coordinates the company’s side of the year-end audit. Depending on scope, this may include closing support, reconciliations, audit schedules, document collection, request tracking and coordination of auditor questions.
Periodic support helps maintain audit-ready records during the year. It may include monthly or quarterly reconciliations, interim-audit preparation, control documentation and follow-up of open audit points before the final year-end audit.
Audit support prepares records and coordinates information on behalf of the company. The external auditor is independent, determines the audit procedures, evaluates the evidence and issues any audit opinion.
Medium-sized and large Dutch companies generally require an audit opinion, based on the applicable company-size assessment. Group figures, consecutive financial years, sector rules and possible exemptions may affect the position, so the requirement should be checked for the particular entity.
PBC means “prepared by client.” It is the auditor’s list of schedules, documents, explanations and other information the company is asked to provide. Audit support can help assign owners, prepare requested information and track submissions and follow-up questions.
Yes, subject to reviewing the records and agreed scope. First-year support may include opening balances, comparative information, historical schedules and earlier supporting documents. Missing historical evidence may not always be reconstructable.
Auditor communication and request coordination may be included with management’s approval. Management remains responsible for the financial statements, accounting judgments, representations and final approval of information supplied.
No. The independent auditor determines the procedures, evaluates the evidence and reaches the audit conclusion. Audit support cannot guarantee acceptance of information, completion by a particular date or any specific audit opinion.
Ordinary system reports, user lists and data exports may form part of the financial audit file. Formal IT assurance, cybersecurity testing, penetration testing or specialist evaluation of automated controls is separate work and may require an appropriate IT-audit specialist.
Timing and fees depend on the number of entities, first-year or recurring status, consolidation, request volume, source-data quality, open reconciliations, historical findings, group instructions and the availability of management, auditors and third parties.
Tell us which audit you are preparing for, when the auditor plans to begin and what information has been requested. We can assess the current status and propose a practical support approach.
NetherBridge Partners specialises in supporting entrepreneurs with the incorporation of a Dutch Limited Liability Company (BV), as well as providing accounting, legal, tax, and advisory services in the Netherlands.
