Explanation5 min lezen
Compilation statement: required or not?
In this article
A compilation statement is a short statement by an accountant on annual accounts that he has compiled. It mainly says something about what the accountant did — preparing the figures from the records that you supplied — and far less about whether those figures are free of error.
Three levels of involvement
In the Netherlands there are three forms, from light to heavy. They are often confused, while legally they are very different:
| Form | What it means |
|---|---|
| Compiling | The accountant turns your data into annual accounts according to the applicable rules. He does not investigate accuracy or completeness. |
| Reviewing | The accountant performs targeted procedures and provides a limited level of assurance. |
| Auditing | The accountant examines the annual accounts in depth and issues an audit report with an opinion. |
Not an approval
A compilation statement is not an approval of your figures. The responsibility for accuracy and completeness remains with you or with the management board.What is in it?
- Who commissioned the work and what the accountant did.
- That the annual accounts were compiled from the data you provided.
- That the accountant was not required to investigate the accuracy and completeness of that data.
- Whether the annual accounts were prepared according to the applicable rules (Title 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code or sound business practice).
When do you need one?
There is no legal obligation to engage an accountant for preparing the annual accounts, unless you fall under the audit obligation. In practice, others ask for one:
- A bank or financier for a loan or a credit facility.
- An investor or a new shareholder.
- A leasing company or a supplier for a large contract.
- The buyer when you sell your business.
- Yourself, if you want certainty about the figures before you file them.
What it costs and what you can do yourself
What a statement costs depends on the size of your records and on the work the accountant has to do. Ask for a quote and check what it includes: only the statement, or also preparing the annual accounts, the tax return and the filing.
You can also turn it around: prepare the annual accounts yourself with the annual accounts process and have an accountant only look over your shoulder. Because you then deliver a complete document instead of loose figures, that work is usually smaller.
And filing with the KVK?
For micro and small legal entities no statement is required when filing. If your business falls under the audit obligation, an audit report must accompany the documents. More on that is in filing with the KVK.
Frequently asked questions
Is a compilation statement mandatory?
What is the difference between compiling and auditing?
Who may issue a compilation statement?
Related articles
Read more about this topic.
Prepare your annual accounts yourself?
Work through the wizard, check your figures and download the annual accounts and the KVK filing documents as PDFs. € 60,44 per financial year, once.
Je vult eerst alles in en bekijkt het resultaat — betalen doe je pas als je de stukken wilt downloaden. Geen abonnement. En zit er een fout in de stukken die wij kunnen herstellen? Dan leveren we gratis een nieuwe versie, zo vaak als nodig.
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