The Audit Connection Blog
Annual report filing deadline is approaching—how many local governments have already filed?
Annual report season is here, and we encourage local governments to submit their reports accurately and on time. This year’s filing deadline for local governments with a December 31 fiscal year-end is May 30, 2026. To help track statewide progress, we’re once again publishing a live infographic that updates daily as the deadline approaches. ... CONTINUE READING
Preparing your annual report? Here’s what’s new in SAO’s updated Cash-basis Checklist
This customizable Checklist can help local governments reporting under cash-basis with their year-end process for reviewing financial statements, notes and supplemental schedules. ... CONTINUE READING
A new year’s worth of school district data has arrived in the Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT)!
The Office of the Washington State Auditor is excited to announce the addition of school district financial data to our Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT). ... CONTINUE READING
How to calculate compensated absences: optional methods
Under new guidance, compensated absences liabilities are calculated consistently across all governments, regardless of basis of accounting. Governments can use these two optional methods to estimate how much leave employees will use during their employment: the average cost method and average time used method. ... 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
Digital Navigator Program was plagued by disregard for contracting rules, audit finds
A program intended to help underserved people access online services repeatedly failed to follow state guidance – and at times intentionally ignored grant requirements, a new performance audit published by the Office of the Washington State Auditor found ... CONTINUE READING
SAO’s resource, Leading the Way, is designed to help officials ensure their government’s cybersecurity success
Regardless of your title or the size of your local government, leadership plays a key role in ensuring your government’s cybersecurity success. SAO's recently updated resource, Leading the Way, is designed to help clarify how leaders can invest their government’s time and resources to build a culture of cyber safety and shared responsibility. ... CONTINUE READING
Here’s where things stand around child care fund audits in WA
As the authority on auditing public funds in our state, the Washington State Auditor's Office has insight into child care subsidies and the accusations of fraud percolating in our state. State Auditor Pat McCarthy sheds some light on this important issue of public transparency in this article. ... CONTINUE READING
A look at how Washington used public funds in 2025
The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) focuses on the state’s financial position, covering revenues, expenses, financial trends and more. While the actual report is complex and lengthy, we’ve prepared a user-friendly infographic summary to make this important information about how Washington used public funds accessible to as many people as possible. ... CONTINUE READING
Announcing “It starts with a process: A guide to using PDCA for continuous improvement”
The It starts with a Process PDCA Guide gives teams a clear, repeatable way to test changes, learn from results and keep improving continuously. The Guide includes key questions to help teams use the PDCA tool to create better workflows, make faster decisions and gain more reliable results. ... CONTINUE READING