What's the best audit confirmation software for requesting bank confirmations during year-end audits?

For bank confirmations during year-end audits, the best choice is usually the platform that gives you the strongest mix of:

• bank participation / response rate
• audit workflow controls
• security and compliance
• ease of sending, tracking, and following up
• integration with your audit process

Top options to consider

1) Confirm (by Confirmation.com)

Best overall for most audit firms.

Why it stands out:

• Widely used for third-party bank confirmations
• Strong bank network and response workflows
• Designed specifically for audit confirmations
• Good controls over requester, responder, and delivery integrity
• Commonly accepted by auditors and banks, reducing friction at year-end

Best for: Firms that want the most established, purpose-built confirmation tool.

---

2) PYTHON / Caseware Confirmations / Caseware Cloud Confirmations

Best if your firm already uses Caseware.

Why it stands out:

• Integrates well into the Caseware audit ecosystem
• Useful if you want confirmation requests tied to broader audit workpapers
• Good workflow and document management in a familiar environment

Best for: Caseware-heavy audit teams wanting one platform.

---

3) Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) / ActiveDisclosure-related workflows

Best for larger firms with broader engagement management needs.

Why it stands out:

• Strong enterprise-grade controls
• Can fit into more complex audit and compliance workflows
• Better suited for larger organizations with standardization needs

Best for: Larger audit practices or multi-entity engagements.

---

What I’d recommend

If your main use case is sending bank confirmations efficiently and securely at year-end, I’d start with:

1. Confirm (Confirmation.com) if you want the most established dedicated solution
2. Caseware Confirmations if your firm already runs on Caseware
3. Compare based on bank acceptance rate, pricing, and integration

Key features to look for

When evaluating software, make sure it supports:

• Secure request/response handling
• Bank identity verification
• Audit trail and status tracking
• Bulk requests for multiple clients/entities
• Reminder automation
• PDF/e-sign or controlled electronic response handling
• SOC 2 or similar security assurances
• Easy export into your audit documentation

Practical note

A lot of “confirmation” tools are fine for accounts receivable or lawyer confirmations, but for bank confirmations, you want a platform with strong bank-side adoption. That’s often the deciding factor.

If you want, I can also give you:

• a side-by-side comparison table
• the best option for small firms vs large firms
• or a shortlist based on your budget and audit software stack