5 Reasons to Conduct a Pre-audit

In the Horizon Europe program,  audits are a crucial tool for ensuring that EU-funded grants are used in line with the applicable rules.
Are you certain that your reported costs meet EU eligibility criteria?
It is essential to ensure that your company is aligned with the Grant Agreement’s requirements to prevent costs being rejected or the grant being reduced.
If you want peace of mind, we recommend conducting a pre-audit. This process will help you avoid unnecessary stress and ensure that you are well-prepared for the official audit.

What are the benefits of a pre-audit?

1. Identify Compliance Gaps
A pre-audit identifies gaps in legality with EU regulatory standards and includes guidance from our experts, which allows you to prepare for the real audit, reducing the risk of non-compliance and serious consequences.
As always, it is better to be prepared beforehand because when the real audit arrives, organizations are given deadlines to prepare documentation, leaving no time for corrections or adjustments. At that stage it is simply too late, that is why early detection of potential issues allows for preventive measures to be taken.

2. Avoid systemic errors
If your company makes a mistake in one project, there is a high likelihood that the same error will occur in other current or future projects. Identifying and correcting such errors as early as possible is crucial. If a real audit finds systemic errors, the Granting Authority may extend the findings of the audit to non-audited Grant Agreements or non-audited periods, potentially affecting all related projects. By ensuring that these issues are addressed in advance, your company can avoid widespread repercussions and maintain its reputation.

3. Process Improvement
A pre-audit provides an opportunity to review and refine existing processes and procedures, leading to overall operational improvements and increased efficiency.
Very often, our experts identify errors in areas such as contracts, policies, other internal process or procedures within the company. This not only aids in avoiding future mistakes but also facilitates the implementation of improvements, ensuring more accurate and efficient processes moving forward.

4. Boost Confidence
Preparing with a pre-audit instils confidence in the organization’s readiness and enhances the probability of a successful outcome during the official audit.
With the results and our specific recommendations, you are ready to meet with the auditor. By ensuring that the financial aspects are under control, your company can focus on implementing the project and managing the technical components with confidence.

5. Time & Cost Savings
Addressing issues found during a pre-audit can prevent mistakes and safeguard your Horizon Europe grant funds.
Since audits can be lengthy and time-consuming, having everything thoroughly prepared will streamline the process, making it faster and more efficient. In the end you save time, money and headaches.

Don’t leave checking your documentation for tomorrow. To ensure that an EU project is carried out in line with the rules contact us at hello@getpolite.eu and we’ll be happy to conduct a pre-audit for you!