Glossary
Prepared by client list (PBC list)
The list of schedules, reports and documents a client prepares for the auditor before audit fieldwork starts.
A prepared by client list, or PBC list, sets out the schedules, reports and documents that a client prepares for the auditor. It is agreed at the planning stage of an audit and tailored to the entity.
Common items include the year end trial balance, bank reconciliations, a fixed asset register, debtors and creditors listings, payroll and PAYE reconciliations, VAT reconciliations, key contracts, board minutes and the draft annual financial statements (AFS).
Each item has an owner and a target date. If an item does not apply, the client says so. This saves time on both sides.
A good PBC list helps in three ways. It makes the scope of the audit clear early. It lets the client spread preparation over several weeks rather than rushing at the end. And it reduces the number of follow-up questions during fieldwork.
At Lebesa CA and Advisory Services, PBC items appear as document requests in the client portal. Clients upload files against each request, add short notes and see which items are open, submitted or accepted. Questions during fieldwork come through the same place, so the record of the audit is complete.
This entry is general information, not professional advice.