Simpler audit preparation for businesses using NetSuite

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Being occasionally audit-ready isn’t enough in today’s regulatory landscape. With the right tools and processes however, it's easy to simplify your audit preparation for NetSuite and be audit-ready, all the time.

By Ian Cartledge

4 min read •

March 23, 2025

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Being occasionally audit-ready isn’t enough in today’s regulatory landscape. Compliance expectations are rising – and so are the risks of getting it wrong.

Yet, the evidence is clear: compliance is getting harder. According to PwC, 85% of organisations say compliance requirements have become more complex in the past three years.

The result? Businesses are struggling to keep up with this pressure.

The compliance challenge: Manual workflows leave gaps

Traditional finance processes still rely heavily on spreadsheets, email chains, and verbal sign-offs. These workflows aren’t just slow – they’re opaque. When it’s time to figure out who approved what and when, finance teams often scramble to piece together a trail that may not even exist and connect it with NetSuite data.

It’s not just an inconvenience. It’s a real compliance risk.

Real-time audit trails: Built-in compliance

Modern approval automation flips this script. Tools like ApprovalMax generate real-time audit trails as part of every approval process – no extra admin, no detective work required.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Every action is logged instantly, including who approved what and when, and attached to the transaction in NetSuite.
Comments and supporting documents are stored alongside each transaction.
Immutable records remove any doubt or ambiguity.
Easy access for auditors or internal stakeholders, whenever needed.

With an automated workflow, you’re not preparing for the next audit. Instead, you’re already ready for it, all the time.

Not only do automated processes help you stay on top of audit preparation, they’re well-received by auditors.

“There are plenty of weaknesses in accounts payable processes that use either a physical stamp, emails, or even Slack for approvals. These aren’t well received by auditors,” says Brendan Lucas, Head of Accounting APAC at ApprovalMax and founder of Next Dimension Accounting.

“Something like ApprovalMax is a tried and tested program. I often get feedback from auditors saying that it’s great, easy, and they wish other clients were using it.”

Safer compliance without slowing down

Staying compliant shouldn’t mean adding friction. With the right automation in place, audit trails and approvals run in the background, keeping pace with business activity instead of slowing it down.

That means:

Faster month-end closes
Simpler external audits and internal reviews
Stronger controls and better accountability
Reduced risk of fraud or non-compliance penalties

In short, compliance becomes a natural output of your daily operations – not a separate, stressful project.

Being audit-ready every day is about more than meeting standards. It’s about creating confidence.

Confidence that your approvals are traceable, your controls are reliable, and your business is built to scale securely.

Ian Cartledge is a SaaS expert in automating finance workflows with NetSuite, Xero, and QuickBooks Online. He helps finance teams streamline operations, boost efficiency and strengthen their financial controls.