The Audit Connection Blog
WASBO 2026: your go-to guide for school district resources
The Washington Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) is holding its annual conference this week in Tacoma, and team SAO will be there sharing the latest on financial reporting and auditing topics specifically for school districts. Throughout the conference and beyond, this webpage serves as a hub for helpful articles, tools, resources and guidance created to support school business officials across Washington – covering timely topics and offering references you can return to whenever you need them. ... CONTINUE READING
Did you know you need to report all personal purchases made on a government credit card to SAO?
Regardless of whether the employee responsible for the loss paid it back, or the government sought recovery from their bank or insurance company, it must be reported to SAO. ... CONTINUE READING
We want to hear from you: Take our public awareness survey today
The Office of the Washington State Auditor has launched a short, anonymous survey open to all Washington residents age 18 and older. We want to understand what matters most to you in your community, how you engage with government, and how we can communicate more clearly about our work and its impact on your daily life. ... CONTINUE READING
How to wrap up financial loose ends after an employee leaves
There is much to think about when employees leave your employment, including hiring and training new employees and divvying up duties in the meantime. This article outlines several financial areas you should review when an employee leaves. ... CONTINUE READING
Audit finds limited progress in police training required under the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act
A new performance audit published by our Office finds that Washington’s police officers are far from completing additional training mandated by Initiative 940, with only 14% of new officers having completed the full 40 hours of training by their required deadline. ... CONTINUE READING
Updated procurement resources have arrived
The laws concerning bidding and purchasing are complex; as a result, we receive many questions and issue frequent audit recommendations to local governments over bidding and purchasing. To better support you, we maintain a suite of procurement resources. ... CONTINUE READING
Audit of $23.7 billion in federal funds shows overall improvement
Each year, the Office of the Washington State Auditor conducts a single audit – one major audit to examine whether state agencies spent billions of dollars in federal funds in accordance with the requirements set by the federal government. ... CONTINUE READING
Frequently Asked Questions about federal child care funds in Washington state
As the authority on auditing public funds in Washington state, we’ve prepared a webpage of FAQ to address some of the most common questions people may have about federal child care funds. Our goal with this FAQ is to be transparent and informative about the role of the Office of the Washington State Auditor on this issue of public concern. ... CONTINUE READING
State audit shows overall improvement, recommends increased oversight of child care payments
Today the Office of the Washington State Auditor released its massive annual audit of federal funds, which reviewed $23.7 billion in federal funds across 28 programs. Auditors found a general pattern of improved compliance with federal requirements overall. SAO also determined that the state’s system to detect improper payments in child care subsidies has weaknesses that contributed to an estimated $37 million in questionable payments in 2025. ... CONTINUE READING
Explore our new and improved best practices for bank reconciliations
These best practices around the bank reconciliation process can help governments detect fraud and ensure their data and financial statements are accurate. ... CONTINUE READING