External confirmation of cash and loan balances remains a core substantive procedure. Delays here are one of the most common reasons an opinion slips past the planned date.
Prepare a complete list of accounts—including dormant yen accounts, foreign currency accounts, and facilities with zero drawn balance. Omitted accounts force a second round of letters.
Authorisation letters on company letterhead, signed by an authorised officer, should match the name on the bank’s records. Mismatches between registered and trading names cause rejections.
For regional branches of national banks, confirm whether electronic confirmation portals are accepted. Some still require paper replies to the auditor’s office address.
Start the process in the first week of fieldwork. Waiting until draft accounts are ready leaves no room when a branch is slow to respond.