Attestation Services Breakdown

What is Attestation?

Attestation is an independent certification process performed by a CPA to verify the accuracy and reliability of information for a specific purpose. Unlike a traditional audit, which covers a company’s overall financial statements, an attestation engagement is focused on a particular area, control, or set of data.

Organizations often request attestation services to:

• Confirm compliance with laws, regulations, or contractual obligations

• Evaluate internal control functions

• Provide assurance on financial forecasts, projections, or pro forma data

• Validate information for use by lenders, regulators, investors, or other third parties

Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP)

Agreed-Upon Procedures engagements are a specialized type of attestation where management and other stakeholders define the exact tests to be performed. For example, procedures may target revenue recognition, inventory counts, expense testing, or specific compliance areas.

• Purpose: Provide credibility to management’s assertions on a focused area of concern.

• Process: We perform only the procedures agreed upon in advance, document the work, and issue a written report describing the results.

• Value: Tailored to risks identified by management, lenders, or regulators, without the cost of a full audit.

Unlike consulting, AUP engagements follow strict professional standards and result in a formal report intended for specific third-party users.

Why Choose Attestation Over a Full Audit?

• Targeted Assurance: Focuses only on the areas that matter to stakeholders.

• Cost-Effective: Less extensive than a full audit but still adds credibility.

• Flexible: Can be applied to financial or non-financial data.