Heard of post audits, but not sure exactly what they are? You aren’t alone. For many suppliers, post audits are shrouded in mystery. They arise without warning and can cost your company a lot of money, but they typically offer little in the way of explanation.
Walmart conducts post audit reviews after Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable have finalized their payments and deductions processes. This means that the post audit timeline runs up to two calendar years after the initial transaction. You can receive multiple post audits within that 2-year time span.
Initial notification of a post audit typically comes to your AR team via email from one of four external audit companies (Apex Analytix, Cotiviti/Connolly, PRGX, or Auditec) working on behalf of Walmart. The email will include a summary of the charges and a backup document, which is typically an Excel file.
Identifying Post Audits
Still not sure what a post audit looks like? Here are some other tips for spotting post audits in the wild:
Post audits can arise without warning, and are often for large dollar amounts because they typically span large time frames and multiple orders, shipments, or invoices.
Here are some of the most common types of audits:
Excessive Defectives
Pricing differences
Failure to combine shipments
Allowances not given
Recover price protection
Freight for collect orders not shipped in full
Post audit claim numbers are 9 digits long, and when they are deducted from a check the store number is listed as "9000".
If you received a "9000" store code deduction, but were not contacted by a Post Audit 3rd party, this is likely an AR deduction (OTIF/SQEP) that can be disputed via High Radius.
Here's an example of what part of a post audit summary might look like for an excessive defective audit:
Disputing Post Audits
When it comes to fighting post audits, things can get a little messy. Here are a few details:
If you receive the claim packet and wish to dispute the claim, you must immediately contact the auditor directly, and let them know you will be disputing the charges.
You typically have 5 days to research and dispute an audit, otherwise the money will be deducted from one or more checks.
You can still dispute an audit after the money has been deducted, but it will be a little more difficult to get a favorable resolution.
Post audits are disputed directly with the auditing firm. Sometimes your buyer needs to be involved, too.
Still have questions on post audits? Reach out to the SupplyPike team via chat or at support.supplypike.com!