The Audit Engagement Commitment documents agreed scope, responsibilities, timing, and fees so both auditor and client have a clear baseline. It supports compliance with professional standards, limits liability exposure, clarifies deliverables, and provides evidence of consent for electronic execution under ESIGN and state UETA statutes.
Audit firms, internal audit teams, accounting departments, and client organizations use the Audit Engagement Commitment to document and govern audit engagements.
Use this commitment as the project reference to resolve scope questions, confirm responsibilities, and guide audit execution.
Provide a detailed description of processes, accounts, or periods to be audited, the objectives, key deliverables, any exclusions, and applicable materiality thresholds and reporting criteria, including control objectives and sample sizes where applicable.
Specify obligations of auditor and client such as access to records, provision of staff time, assistance with confirmations, internal control explanations, and timelines for responses to auditor inquiries.
Identify the form and content of the audit report, management letters, supplemental schedules, distribution lists, intended recipients, confidentiality requirements, and reporting deadlines and formats, electronic or printed.
State fee structure, billing milestones, hourly rates or fixed fees, expense reimbursement rules, retainer requirements, payment terms, invoicing intervals, and conditions for fee adjustments or additional services.
Describe limitations on auditor liability, scope restrictions, reliance on internal controls, use of specialists, and any disclaimers regarding future events, subsequent period coverage, or other matters.
Specify termination rights, notice periods, fee consequences on termination, amendment procedures, and the process for mutually agreeing changes to scope or schedule, including required signatures for amendment.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Template | Use standardized clause templates for consistency. |
| Signing Order | Sequential or parallel signer flow as required. |
| Authentication | Email, SMS code, or stronger MFA if needed. |
| Retention | Automatic storage in secured repository with audit trail. |
| Notifications | Automatic reminders for pending signatures and expirations. |
Use an eSignature platform that supports secure authentication, audit trails, and compliant record retention and integration with document repositories.
Date by which client must accept terms to begin work.
When audit program and resources should be finalized.
Scheduled start and end dates for on-site or remote testing.
Date auditor provides preliminary findings to management.
Target date for delivering the completed audit report.
Client signs commitment and returns executed document.
Auditor completes risk assessment and audit program.
Conduct testing, obtain evidence, and document exceptions.
Issue draft, receive management responses, deliver final report.
A regional bank engaged an external auditor to perform a compliance-focused audit covering loan portfolios and provisioning practices for one fiscal year.
A midsize hospital required an external audited financial statement and internal control review due to funding compliance and grant reporting obligations over two fiscal years.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial, no credit card | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |