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Internal Controls Review in Abu Dhabi
Internal controls reviews are part of risk management. We map how transactions move through your business, test whether controls work and recommend practical fixes.
Four steps to readiness
Scope the review
Choose the processes that matter most to your risk.
Walk through transactions
Follow sample items from start to finish.
Report findings
Findings are ranked by risk, with simple recommendations.
Follow up
We check back to see that agreed actions were done.
How a controls walkthrough works in practice
A walkthrough follows one real transaction from start to finish. For a purchase, that means the request, the approval, the order, the goods received note, the supplier invoice, the payment and the ledger entry. At each point we ask who did it, what evidence it left and whether anyone else checked it.
The aim is not to find fault with people. It is to see where a single mistake, or a single dishonest act, could pass through unnoticed. Most findings are simple: an approval given verbally, a payment released before goods arrived, or a bank change made without a second person confirming it.
Controls that suit a small finance team
Not every business can separate every duty. Where you cannot, add a check that does not depend on headcount. The owner or a manager can review the monthly bank reconciliation and the list of payments over an agreed limit. Supplier bank detail changes can require a call-back to a known number before they are applied.
Document these checks. A one-page control log, signed each month by whoever performed the review, is evidence that the control is real and operating. Lenders and reviewers look for exactly that.
Reading the report we give you
The report is written in plain language for owners and managers. Each finding can be passed straight to the person responsible for fixing it.
- Each finding states what was observed, the sample it came from and the risk it creates.
- Findings are ranked so you can act on the urgent ones first.
- Each recommendation names a practical fix, a suggested owner and a target date.
- A follow-up list records which actions were completed and what evidence supports them.
- The report is a management document. It is not an audit opinion on your financial statements.
More questions
How big should the sample be for testing?
It depends on how many transactions you process. We agree the sample with you at scoping, usually covering each major process and a spread of months, rather than a fixed number.
Which process should I review first?
Start with cash and payments, since loss there is most direct. Purchasing and payroll usually follow.
Is a controls review the same as an audit?
No. It examines how your processes work and recommends fixes. A statutory audit gives an opinion on financial statements, and that is carried out by the auditor your company appoints.
How long do the recommended fixes take?
Many are quick, such as written approval limits or a call-back rule. Others, such as changes to accounting software permissions, take longer and are given dates in the action plan.
Who should receive the findings of a controls review?
The report should go to the owner or director who can change the process, not only to the team that runs it. Each finding needs a named owner, a target date and a short description of what evidence will show it is fixed. Reviewing the open items once a quarter keeps the list from ageing. It also gives lenders or investors a record that control gaps are being closed rather than ignored.
How many transactions are sampled in a walkthrough?
The sample depends on volume and risk, so there is no single number. For a small business we usually trace a handful of items per process from start to finish. We then widen the sample where an exception appears. The aim is to confirm that the process works as described, not to re-perform every entry.
What to put in the file
- Process maps for purchasing, sales, payroll and cash
- Delegation of authority matrix
- Segregation of duties assessment
- Sample testing of invoices, payments and approvals
- Stock and cash count results
- Action plan with owners and dates
Risks to watch in Abu Dhabi company books
Approval gaps
Payments and purchases made without clear authority limits invite error and misuse.
Segregation of duties
Small teams often have one person who raises, approves and records transactions.
Inventory and cash handling
Physical assets and cash need independent checks.
Spreadsheet dependence
Critical numbers held in unprotected spreadsheets are easy to alter by mistake.
Where our service stops
Numerix Accountants holds licence No. 1360308 for accounting and bookkeeping, tax consulting and cost control and risk management. Statutory audit and audit opinions sit outside that licence.
Tell us your deadline
Share your year-end date and current accounting set-up, and we will suggest where to start.
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