How Goodman Jones reduced confirmation delays and moved from paper-based tracking to a faster, unified workflow

Firm background

Goodman Jones is an audit and accounting firm supporting a broad portfolio of clients across multiple engagements and industries. Bank confirmations are a routine — but essential — step in the firm’s audit process, providing the independent assurance required before files can be completed and signed off. Goodman Jones determined that its traditional paper‑based confirmation process was creating unnecessary administrative effort and limiting visibility into request status. To improve efficiency and control, the firm chose Thomson Reuters® Confirmation.

The challenge: manual letters, postal delays, and limited visibility

Before adopting Confirmation, Goodman Jones were printing and posting letters for each client. Once a letter was sent, the firm had little insight into its status. Some responses came via post, others via email, which made it difficult for staff to verify progress when asked by managers for updates. This lack of visibility led to repeated follow‑ups, reprinting of letters, and additional time spent chasing responses. The process added uncertainty and administrative workload across engagements.

The importance of receiving requests through a secure channel

Not only does sending and receiving confirmations in one place bring efficiency, it also brings peace of mind. Responses to requests that are sent via the Confirmation platform are only ever received via the Confirmation platform, a secure and encrypted channel. Never email, and never post. This was top of mind for Goodman Jones when reviewing providers ahead of deciding to switch to 100% digital Confirmations.

“Previously, once a letter went in the post we had no way of tracking it.”

Measurable impact: cutting confirmation processing time by half or more

The most significant improvement has been speed. Goodman Jones reports that using Confirmation has reduced overall waiting and processing time by approximately 50% or more compared with the previous manual workflow. The reduction comes from several factors:

• Elimination of postal delivery delays

• Faster turnaround on requests

• Reduced need to reproduce or resend letters

• More efficient follow‑up through automated reminders

Real-time visibility into outstanding requests

Confirmation also improved transparency across the confirmation process. Teams can now:

• View in one place which confirmations are outstanding

• Track the progress of client signatories

• Trigger reminder emails when approvals are pending

• Confirm that follow‑ups are being sent automatically

Previously, even simple status checks required searching emails or waiting for mailed bank confirmations. With Confirmation, the status of each request is visible immediately, reducing uncertainty and internal coordination efforts.

“Its the security side of things. So the information isn’t lost, or that it’s gone somewhere it shouldn’t have.”

The pressure on auditors to maintain control and ensure the reliability of information has never been greater, which is why all 1.5 million users of Confirmation have been validated by our team. Whether a firm, bank, or an individual user of Confirmation, you can be sure that sensitive information is only sent and received by authenticated parties. Today, Confirmation helps Goodman Jones achieve:

• Control of the broad audit confirmation process

• A reliable and risk‑free audit confirmation process

• Direct communication with responding banks

Responsive support and proactive account management

Goodman Jones also values the responsiveness of the Confirmation team. When questions or issues arise, responses are typically received the same day or the next. The firm rarely needs to follow up on unresolved queries. Regular review meetings have also provided detailed insight into the firm’s usage and results. These sessions helped the team understand the benefits achieved during its first year of adoption and identify opportunities for continued efficiency.

“We never have to chase support. Responses are usually same-day or next-day.”

Why Thomson Reuters Confirmation?

For Goodman Jones, Confirmation delivers measurable value through:

• Approximately 50% or greater reduction in confirmation

waiting and processing time

• Unified tracking that replaces manual status checks

• Automated reminders that reduce follow‑up efforts

• Responsive support that helps resolve issues quickly

Together, these capabilities have transformed confirmations from a manual administrative burden into a more predictable and manageable part of the audit workflow.

Looking ahead

With digital confirmations now embedded in its process, Goodman Jones plans to continue streamlining workflows and building on the efficiencies gained through Thomson Reuters Confirmation.

To learn more about how Confirmation helps audit firms accelerate workflows and reduce delays, contact us.