How much work is involved in an A/P Audit?

When companies consider conducting an Accounts Payable (A/P) Recovery Audit, one of the most common questions they ask is: “How much work is this going to take on our end?” The good news is that a well-managed audit process is designed to be low-impact for your team—while still delivering high-impact results.

A/P Audit Timeline and Phases

An A/P Recovery Audit typically spans 12 weeks and is divided into three key phases:

Phase 1: Data Gathering & Analysis (Weeks 1–2)

The first two weeks are focused on setting the foundation for the audit. This phase involves:

• 4–6 hours to gather necessary data (such as invoice history, vendor master files, and payment details)
• 1 hour to review and approve the list of vendors included in the audit
• 30 minutes to review and align on standard communication templates and messaging for vendor outreach

Phase 2: Active Audit (Weeks 2–12)

This is the core of the audit, where the heavy lifting is done by the audit team. Your involvement is minimal but important:

• Expect to spend 1–2 hours per week reviewing claims that have been identified and posted in the audit portal.
• You’ll verify findings and approve legitimate recovery opportunities, while the audit team manages communication with vendors and documentation.

Phase 3: Audit Wrap-Up (Week 12)

As the audit concludes, a final summary and set of deliverables are provided:

• Plan for 1 hour of time to review the final results, discuss key findings, and evaluate opportunities to improve internal controls.

Low Impact, High Value

In total, your team can expect to spend roughly 15–20 hours spread over 12 weeks, with the majority of the audit work handled externally. For many organizations, this light time commitment results in tangible financial recoveries and insights into process improvements that can prevent future overpayments.

If you’re wondering whether the effort is worth it—the answer is a resounding yes. A/P audits offer a low-risk, high-reward path to recovering lost funds and tightening financial operations.