The Audit Connection Blog
A whole new way to envision the same old data: The Financial Intelligence Tool is now available
Today, the Office of the Washington State Auditor has struck a blow for the democratization of governmental financial data to Washingtonians; the newly redesigned Financial Intelligence Tool is now available. Our Office collects the annual financial reports of all governments in the state of Washington; we have now made this data accessible and simple to understand. ... CONTINUE READING
Keep an eye out for workshops to help meet annual report filing deadline
Spring will be here before you know it, and so will the annual report deadline for local governments whose fiscal year ends December 31, 2018. For those governments, annual reports are due May 30, 2019. State law does not provide for any exceptions, so we recommend starting the filing process early, and we are available to help. ... CONTINUE READING
2018 by the numbers: 2,721 audits. 120 trainings. 16 fraud reports … and more
On the public's behalf, the Office of the Washington State Auditor is on the trail of good government. Check out our 2018 Annual Report, and follow along with our 350 auditors as they track public dollars and discover opportunities for greater transparency. You'll learn about our audit work, summaries of key fraud and whistleblower cases, insight into performance audits and more. ... CONTINUE READING
Bank sweeps detect fraud
A “bank sweep” is a process where you check with financial institutions to make sure no bank accounts exist for your organization that you aren’t aware of. ... CONTINUE READING
Lease accounting changes are coming soon
The new accounting and reporting standard regarding leases - GASB 87 - will take effect for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and apply retroactively as if the standard was in place at the beginning of the implementation period. Early implementation is encouraged. ... CONTINUE READING
Tax receivable: Are you reporting it correctly?
Are you reporting property, sales and other taxes in the correct period? Our Office recently found that some local governments were reporting these taxes when the cash was received, causing errors on the financial statements. ... CONTINUE READING
The Performance Center is now the Center for Government Innovation
Exciting news: The Performance Center is now the Center for Government Innovation. ... CONTINUE READING
Employer reporting requirements for other post-employment benefits (OPEB) have taken effect
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 75, Accounting and Reporting for OPEB is effective for the Reporting Year 2018 (this year!). OPEB, or post-employment benefits other than pension, includes benefits such as healthcare provided through a pension plan or separately (medical, dental, vision, hearing, etc.) and other benefits when provided separately from a pension plan, such as: life insurance, long-term care, disability, and more. ... CONTINUE READING
Thinking of ‘piggybacking?’ First check out this new guide on the practice
If you are a local government in Washington state, you may be aware of RCW 39.34.030, which allows governments to use other agencies’ contracts to buy goods and services – also called “piggybacking.” But what you might not be aware of are the potential pitfalls of piggybacking, which can land you in some big trouble. ... CONTINUE READING
Local governments in Washington know the importance of cybersecurity, but need tools to address concerns
The results from our recent cybersecurity survey are in, and they reveal governments of all sizes across Washington recognize the importance of cybersecurity. However, the majority of the governments we polled lack dedicated IT staff, let alone dedicated cybersecurity staff. To address this gap in expertise and resources, the Office of the Washington State Auditor has begun to develop resources, tools and training targeted at the specific cybersecurity issues of local governments. ... CONTINUE READING