How detailed do you get in your audit reports? I'm struggling to find the right balance between being thorough and keeping it readable for non-technical clients. Do you include all your calculations or just summarize the findings?
Best practices for documenting findings?
Connie, I do an executive summary up front with just the key findings and dollar amounts. Then detailed backup in appendices for clients who want to dig deeper. Most clients just want to know "what did you find" and "how much will I save." The technical details go in the back.
I always include screenshots of the actual bill sections where I found errors. Visual proof is powerful - helps clients understand exactly what was wrong and builds confidence in the findings. Also makes it easier when they have to present to their CFO or board.
Documentation is crucial if you need to present findings to the utility later. I learned this the hard way - had solid analysis but poor documentation, and the utility pushback was brutal. Now I include tariff references, calculation worksheets, and timeline of when errors occurred. Cover your bases!
Meredith makes a great point about utility presentations. I actually create two versions of my reports now - client version focused on business impact, and technical version for utility discussions. The technical version includes every calculation step and tariff citation. Extra work but worth it when you're asking for a $50k refund.