The auditor will require time to evaluate your submitted evidence against the vendor’s entitlement position. Once this is completed, the auditor will produce a reconciliation report. If a third party is conducting the audit, you may have an opportunity to view the report before it goes to the vendor.
When the vendor publishes the audit results, it’s crucial to never agree on the findings in the first instance. You’ll need to thoroughly validate the results against your draft ELP. Be prepared to challenge the results and make sure that the auditor is aware of any inaccurate data or assumptions that have been made.
The audit results can be amended and reissued by the vendor many times. Meticulously check each report for any vendor mistakes.
You may wish to seek a second option of the audit report, either with the assigned third-party auditor or one of your service providers/resellers. Only agree to the audit report once your due diligence is complete and the audit board is comfortable with the results.