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Get the ultimate IFRS 15 disclosure checklist with best practices audit preparation IFRS 15 requires for clear, accurate, and audit-ready financial statements.
The goal for any finance professional is to produce accurate, audit-proof financial statements without that last-minute scramble. But IFRS 15’s high bar for transparency can make that feel impossible, demanding detailed disclosures that are tough to compile under pressure. The key to avoiding the year-end crunch isn't working harder—it's having a system. This guide provides an essential IFRS 15 checklist and covers the best practices audit preparation IFRS 15 requires. We'll help you document judgments and detail performance obligations correctly, turning a complex requirement into a manageable, repeatable process.
If your business has contracts with customers, you need to know about IFRS 15. Think of it as the global rulebook for reporting revenue, standardizing how companies recognize the money they earn. Getting it right isn't just about compliance; it’s about presenting a clear and accurate picture of your company's financial health to investors, lenders, and other stakeholders. This standard affects nearly every business, so understanding its core principles is the first step toward accurate financial reporting.
At its heart, IFRS 15, or "Revenue from Contracts with Customers," is a global accounting standard designed to make revenue recognition more consistent. Before this framework, the rules were often vague and varied. IFRS 15 provides a single, comprehensive model that applies to all customer contracts, shifting the focus to a principles-based approach. The main goal is to recognize revenue in a way that shows the transfer of promised goods or services to customers for the amount the company expects to receive in exchange.
IFRS 15 requires more than just following a checklist. It changes how you communicate your company's performance in your financial reports. The standard demands greater transparency, requiring you to disclose significant judgments made when applying the rules. This means you have to decide what information is truly important for understanding your contracts. It’s about telling the story behind the numbers—explaining the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue from your customer contracts. This level of detail provides a much clearer view of your financial standing.
You might hear about ASC 606 in the same breath as IFRS 15, and for good reason. ASC 606 is the U.S. GAAP equivalent, and both standards were created through a joint project to align global revenue recognition. They share the same core five-step model, so if you understand one, you're most of the way there with the other. However, they aren't identical. The key is knowing which standard applies to your business—IFRS 15 is for most of the world, while ASC 606 is for U.S. companies. This distinction is crucial because while they aim for the same outcome, the path to compliance can look slightly different depending on which rules you follow.
The differences, though subtle, can significantly impact your financial statements. For example, the two standards have different thresholds for determining if it's probable you'll collect payment from a customer, with ASC 606 generally being stricter. There are also variations in how to handle non-cash consideration, contract costs, and specific disclosures. While the goal was convergence, these key distinctions mean you can't simply use the standards interchangeably. This is especially true for businesses operating in both U.S. and international markets, where managing both sets of rules adds another layer of complexity to financial reporting.
To comply with IFRS 15, you need to carefully evaluate every customer contract. This involves a multi-step process requiring significant judgment. You must identify each distinct promise to a customer (a "performance obligation"), determine the contract's total price, and then allocate that price across the different promises. You can only recognize revenue appropriately as you fulfill each of these obligations. This gets complicated with variable pricing or long-term contracts where performance happens over time. Documenting these judgments is just as important as making them.
IFRS 15 is all about transparency. The goal of its disclosure requirements is to give investors, auditors, and other stakeholders a clear and complete picture of your company’s revenue. This means providing both quantitative and qualitative information that explains the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue from contracts with customers. Think of this checklist as your guide to making sure you’re covering all your bases and telling the full story behind your numbers. Getting these details right not only ensures compliance but also builds trust and confidence in your financial reporting.
Under IFRS 15, you need to provide more comprehensive details about your contracts. This isn't just about the final numbers; it's about the story behind them. Your disclosures should clearly outline your revenue recognition policies, any significant contract balances (like receivables or contract liabilities), and the nature of your performance obligations. The standard demands detailed information that helps users of financial statements understand the connection between the revenue you’ve recognized and your remaining performance obligations. It’s your chance to explain how and when you earn your revenue, which is fundamental to ensuring compliance.
This is where you break down your promises to the customer. If your contracts have multiple components, like an initial setup fee and a monthly subscription, you must identify each as a separate performance obligation. The next step is to allocate the transaction price to each of these distinct obligations. You then recognize the revenue as you satisfy each one. For example, you’d recognize revenue for the setup fee when the setup is complete, and you’d recognize the subscription revenue over the life of the contract. Clearly detailing these obligations helps stakeholders understand the timing of your revenue streams and the flow of your business operations.
The transaction price is the amount of money you expect to receive in exchange for transferring goods or services. Your disclosures need to explain how you arrived at this price, especially if it includes variable considerations like discounts, rebates, or performance bonuses. You must carefully assess each contract to identify all performance obligations and determine the total transaction price before you can recognize revenue appropriately. If there are any constraints on variable consideration, you need to explain those, too. This ensures everyone understands the value assigned to your customer contracts and how it might change over time, providing a clearer financial picture.
IFRS 15 acknowledges that revenue recognition isn't always straightforward. The standard requires you to disclose the significant judgments and estimates you made during the process. This could include how you estimated the standalone selling prices for different performance obligations or the period over which you’ll recognize revenue for services delivered over time. Documenting these judgments is crucial because it shows auditors and investors your thought process. It provides context for your numbers and demonstrates that you’ve applied the standard consistently and thoughtfully, which is a core part of maintaining accurate financials.
IFRS 15 provides a single, comprehensive framework for recognizing revenue, and it all boils down to a five-step model. Think of it as a roadmap that guides you from the initial customer contract to finally booking the revenue. Following these steps consistently is key to compliance and gives you a clear picture of your company’s financial performance. Let's walk through each step so you know exactly what to expect.
A contract isn't just a signed document; it's any agreement that creates enforceable rights and obligations. Under IFRS 15, a contract must meet five specific criteria: both parties have approved it, everyone's rights are clear, payment terms are defined, the deal has commercial substance (it makes business sense), and it's probable you'll collect payment. If a contract doesn't tick all these boxes, you generally can't recognize any revenue from it until the issues are resolved. This first step sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Once you have a valid contract, it's time to identify every distinct promise you've made to your customer. These promises are called "performance obligations." A good or service is considered "distinct" if the customer can benefit from it on its own or with other resources they can easily get. For example, if you sell a software license and a separate installation service, you likely have two performance obligations. Breaking down the contract into these individual components is essential for allocating revenue correctly in the later steps.
This step is all about figuring out how much money you expect to receive for fulfilling your promises. The transaction price isn't always the list price on the invoice. You need to account for any variables that could change the final amount, such as discounts, rebates, refunds, or performance bonuses. You also have to consider non-cash considerations or any significant financing components if there's a long gap between payment and delivery. This requires careful estimation, as this price will be allocated across your performance obligations.
If your contract includes more than one performance obligation, you need to split the total transaction price from Step 3 among them. The goal is to assign a fair value to each distinct good or service you're delivering. The best practice is to allocate the price based on the standalone selling price of each item—that is, what you would charge for it separately. This ensures that you recognize an appropriate amount of revenue as you satisfy each part of your agreement with the customer.
This is the final step where you actually record the revenue on your books. Revenue is recognized when you satisfy a performance obligation by transferring control of the promised good or service to the customer. This transfer of control can happen at a single "point in time," like when a customer buys a product and takes it home. Or, it can happen "over time," as with a year-long consulting project or a SaaS subscription. For high-volume businesses, using an automated revenue recognition solution is critical for handling this step accurately and efficiently.
Getting your disclosures right is all about transparency. Think of it as telling the complete financial story of your customer contracts so that anyone reading your statements—from investors to auditors—can understand exactly what’s happening. Under IFRS 15, you need to provide enough detail for them to grasp the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of your revenue and cash flows. It sounds like a lot, but breaking it down makes it manageable. Let’s walk through the key pieces of information you absolutely need to share.
First up, you need to clearly show the money you’ve earned from customer contracts. This means presenting your revenue and any losses from these contracts separately from other income sources, like leases or investments. You’ll also need to disclose the opening and closing balances of your contract assets, contract liabilities, and receivables. If you make any changes to existing contracts, you have to explain how those modifications affect your revenue and performance obligations. It’s all about giving a clear picture of what’s coming in directly from your customers and how that changes over time.
This is where you explain the promises you’ve made to your customers. You need to describe how you typically satisfy your performance obligations—for example, do you deliver a product, provide a service over a year, or something else? Be sure to include important details about your payment terms, any warranties you offer, and your refund policies. The goal is to paint a clear picture of your commitments. You should also disclose the total transaction price allocated to performance obligations that are not yet completed, giving stakeholders a sense of the revenue you expect to recognize in the future.
You can’t just report one big revenue number. IFRS 15 requires you to break down—or disaggregate—your revenue into categories that show how economic factors affect it. There isn’t a strict list of categories you must use; instead, you should choose ones that make sense for your business and align with how you report information internally. Common categories include product lines, geographical regions, customer types, or contract duration. This is where tools that offer dynamic segmentation become incredibly useful, allowing you to slice your data in ways that provide meaningful insights for your financial statements.
Applying IFRS 15 often involves making significant judgments, and you need to be open about them. Since revenue is such a critical metric, stakeholders need to understand the key decisions you made to arrive at your numbers. This includes explaining your judgments in determining the timing of revenue recognition or figuring out the transaction price, especially when variable consideration is involved. Documenting these judgments isn't just a compliance task; it builds trust and shows that you have a thoughtful and consistent process for your financial reporting.
Finally, you must explain when you recognize revenue. The core principle here is the transfer of control. You need to disclose whether you typically satisfy performance obligations and recognize revenue over time or at a specific point in time. For obligations met over time, you should explain the method you use to measure progress (like costs incurred or output delivered). For those met at a point in time, describe the key indicators that show the customer has gained control of the good or service. This clarity helps everyone understand the rhythm of your revenue stream.
Getting IFRS 15 right can feel like a puzzle, especially when you’re dealing with high-volume transactions or complex contracts. Many of the hurdles come down to manual processes and scattered data. The good news is that with the right approach and tools, you can handle these challenges effectively. Let's walk through some of the most common issues and, more importantly, how to solve them.
One of the trickiest parts of IFRS 15 is figuring out what counts as a distinct "performance obligation." Is that software license a single promise, or are the installation and ongoing support separate obligations? Getting this wrong can throw off your entire revenue timeline. The key is to carefully assess each contract to identify every distinct promise made to the customer.
Solution: Create a clear, internal framework with specific criteria for identifying performance obligations in your typical contracts. Document these rules and train your team to apply them consistently. For even better accuracy, an automated system can analyze contract terms and flag distinct obligations, reducing the risk of human error and ensuring consistency across the board.
If your business bundles products and services, you know how complicated contracts can get. When a contract has multiple elements, you have to allocate the total price across each separate performance obligation. This is where manual spreadsheets can quickly become a nightmare, especially when modifications or variable considerations come into play. You need a reliable way to assign value to each part of the deal.
Solution: Standardize your price allocation methods. Whether you use the adjusted market assessment, expected cost plus a margin, or the residual approach, be consistent. Better yet, use a revenue recognition platform that can automatically handle these allocations based on your predefined rules. This saves time and ensures every complex contract is treated with the same financial logic.
If your business bundles products and services or manages long-term projects, you know how messy the accounting can get. When a contract has multiple elements, you have to allocate the total price across each separate performance obligation. This is where manual spreadsheets can quickly become a nightmare, especially when modifications or variable considerations come into play. You need a reliable way to assign value to each part of the deal and recognize revenue as each part is delivered. The solution starts with standardizing your price allocation methods—whether you use the adjusted market assessment, expected cost plus a margin, or the residual approach, consistency is key. But for true peace of mind, an automated revenue recognition platform is the way to go. It can handle these allocations based on your predefined rules, saving time and ensuring every complex contract is treated with the same financial logic.
For any business running on subscriptions, software, or licenses, IFRS 15 asks a critical question: does your contract provide a "right to use" the product as-is, or a "right to access" it over time with updates? Your answer determines whether you recognize revenue at a single point in time or over the life of the contract. This judgment call has a major impact on your financials and requires careful documentation. The first step is to create clear internal policies that define how you classify your offerings. But since these contracts are always changing with upgrades and downgrades, a manual approach just won't cut it. A system that automates revenue schedules and handles modifications is essential for accuracy. The best platforms also offer seamless integrations with your CRM and billing systems to ensure data flows correctly, keeping your revenue recognition in sync with your customer lifecycle.
IFRS 15 requires you to document everything—and I mean everything. From the significant judgments you made to the timing of revenue recognition, you need a clear, audit-proof trail. For businesses with a high volume of transactions, the sheer amount of data can be overwhelming. The standard demands comprehensive disclosure requirements, and auditors will want to see your work.
Solution: Ditch the scattered files and implement a centralized system for all your contract-related documentation. An automated revenue recognition solution acts as a single source of truth, capturing every detail and judgment in one place. This not only makes audits smoother but also gives you a clear historical record you can rely on for future decisions.
Your revenue recognition process doesn't operate in a silo. It needs to align with your broader financial ecosystem and other standards like IFRS 9 (Financial Instruments) and IFRS 16 (Leases). A common challenge is ensuring that the data flowing into your IFRS 15 calculations is consistent with information used elsewhere in the business. Disconnected systems can lead to conflicting data and serious compliance headaches.
Solution: Prioritize systems that offer seamless integrations with your existing ERP, CRM, and accounting software. When your tools can talk to each other, you ensure data integrity across the board. This creates a cohesive internal control environment where revenue data is automatically synced, reconciled, and consistent with all other financial reporting.
A major control weakness is the inconsistent application of IFRS 15 rules, especially when it comes to identifying performance obligations. If your team doesn't have a clear, uniform way to define what constitutes a distinct promise in a contract, you're setting yourself up for errors. Auditors need to see that you have a solid process in place to prevent mistakes. Getting this wrong can throw off your entire revenue timeline and undermine the accuracy of your financial statements. The solution is to establish and document a clear framework for your team to follow. This ensures everyone applies the same logic, which strengthens your internal controls and makes your financials much more reliable.
Another common gap is poor documentation of key judgments and estimates. Auditors don't just look at the final numbers; they need to understand your thought process. If your justifications are buried in emails or scattered spreadsheets, you'll struggle to defend your decisions. This is why having a centralized system is so important. An automated revenue recognition solution creates a single source of truth, capturing every contract detail and judgment in one organized place. It also ensures your revenue data aligns with your broader financial ecosystem, preventing the compliance headaches that come from disconnected systems.
At its core, IFRS 15 is a data-intensive standard. You need to gather, process, and report on huge volumes of information related to contracts, performance obligations, and transaction prices. Manually managing this data is not only inefficient but also risky. A single formula error in a spreadsheet or a missed contract modification can lead to material misstatements and compliance failures.
Solution: The most effective way to handle the data demands of IFRS 15 is through automation. A dedicated revenue management platform can pull data from all your sources, apply the five-step model consistently, and generate the detailed disclosures you need. This turns a major data headache into a streamlined, reliable process, giving you more time to focus on strategic analysis instead of manual data entry.
Facing an audit can be stressful, but understanding what your auditor is looking for can make the process much smoother. When it comes to IFRS 15, auditors aren't just checking your math; they're examining the judgments and processes behind your revenue numbers. They want to see a clear, consistent, and well-documented story that proves your financials are accurate and compliant. By stepping into their shoes for a moment, you can anticipate their questions and prepare your records to provide clear, confident answers, turning a potential interrogation into a straightforward review.
For an auditor, revenue is one of the most critical and high-risk areas of any financial statement. Because it directly impacts a company's perceived performance, it receives the highest level of scrutiny. Auditors are trained to approach revenue with a healthy dose of professional skepticism. They aren't there to assume you've done everything right; their job is to verify it. They need to understand your business, your contracts, and the controls you have in place to ensure that every dollar of revenue you recognize is legitimate, accurate, and recorded in the correct period according to IFRS 15 principles.
It might sound harsh, but auditors begin their work with the assumption that there is a significant risk of fraud in revenue recognition. This isn't a personal judgment against your company; it's a requirement of their professional standards. They know that pressure to meet sales targets or performance goals can create incentives to report revenue prematurely, especially near the end of a reporting period. This is why they pay extra close attention to transactions recorded right before a quarter or year-end. Your best defense is a strong set of internal controls and an impeccable, easy-to-follow audit trail for every single transaction.
IFRS 15 introduced a lot of judgment into revenue recognition, which also creates challenges for auditors. One of the toughest areas is determining the exact point when control of a good or service transfers to the customer, as this dictates the timing of revenue. Another major focus is on contracts with variable consideration, like discounts or performance bonuses. Auditors must challenge the estimates and assumptions your company makes to ensure they are reasonable and based on solid evidence. They will dig into your rationale, so having clear documentation for these judgments is absolutely essential.
During a revenue audit, an auditor’s goal is to gather enough evidence to be confident that your revenue figures are not materially misstated. This involves a mix of procedures, from high-level analysis to detailed testing of individual transactions. They'll start by understanding your business and assessing where the risks are highest. Then, they'll design specific tests to address those risks. The entire process is guided by a core principle that helps them focus their efforts on what truly matters for your financial statements.
Auditors use several techniques to test your revenue. They'll perform analytical procedures, like comparing your revenue trends this year to last year or to industry benchmarks, looking for any unusual fluctuations. They will also test your internal controls to see if your processes for recording revenue are reliable. A key part of the audit is substantive testing, where they examine the details of specific transactions. This often involves selecting a sample of sales invoices and tracing them back to shipping documents and customer contracts to confirm they are legitimate and recorded correctly.
Auditors don't look for every single penny of error. Instead, they focus on what is "material." A material error is one that is large enough that it could reasonably influence the decisions of someone reading your financial statements, like an investor or a lender. The auditor determines this materiality threshold at the start of the audit. This concept allows them to focus their attention on the areas with the biggest potential for significant mistakes. Since revenue is almost always a large and important number, it is almost always considered a material area for any business.
When you present your financial statements, you are making several implicit claims, or "assertions," about your revenue. You're asserting that the revenue exists, that you've recorded all of it, that the amounts are accurate, and that it's in the right period. The auditor's job is to test each of these assertions to ensure they hold up. They are looking for any risks that could cause these assertions to be untrue, whether due to simple error or intentional misstatement.
To verify your revenue, auditors test several key assertions. They check for existence to ensure the sale actually occurred and isn't fictitious. They test for completeness to make sure all revenue that should have been recorded was. They verify accuracy by checking that the revenue was recorded for the correct amount. Finally, they perform cutoff testing to confirm that revenue was recorded in the proper accounting period. Having an automated system that centralizes contract data and transaction details provides a clear, consolidated trail that makes it much easier to prove each of these assertions to an auditor.
Tackling IFRS 15 doesn't mean you have to go it alone. There are fantastic tools and resources available to make the process smoother and more accurate. Instead of getting bogged down in manual calculations, you can lean on technology and expert guidance to handle the heavy lifting. This frees your team to focus on what you do best: growing the business. Let's look at a few key resources that can make a real difference.
Manually managing revenue recognition is time-consuming and prone to error. This is where automation completely changes the game. Modern revenue recognition tools are designed to handle the complex calculations and workflows required by IFRS 15, ensuring every step is accurate. By automating these processes, you streamline compliance and give your team the bandwidth to work on more strategic initiatives. It’s about working smarter, not harder, to achieve flawless financial reporting and get your time back.
Why reinvent the wheel? Disclosure templates are an incredible resource for making sure your financial statements hit all the right notes. Reputable accounting firms often publish guides with illustrative disclosures, giving you a clear blueprint to follow. These templates help you structure your notes and ensure you haven't missed any critical information required by IFRS 15. While you'll still need to tailor the content to your specific contracts, using a guide to annual financial statements provides a solid foundation and a valuable quality check.
When evaluating software, look for features that actively support quality control. The right IFRS compliance software does more than just run numbers; it acts as a central hub for your data, improving both efficiency and accuracy. Look for solutions that can centralize data management, automate complex calculations, and simplify your reporting process. These features address the biggest challenges of manual compliance, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring consistency across your reports. This level of control is essential for maintaining data integrity and producing financial statements you can trust.
Sometimes, you need more than just software—you need a partner. Implementing IFRS 15 can be complex, and having expert support makes all the difference. This might come from software with AI-supported suggestions or a dedicated team of consultants. Don't hesitate to seek out help to ensure your setup is correct from day one. If you're feeling stuck or just want an expert eye on your process, a data consultation can provide personalized guidance and help you build a compliant, scalable revenue recognition system that works for your business.
Getting your IFRS 15 disclosures right doesn't have to feel like a constant battle. With the right approach, you can turn this complex requirement into a streamlined, manageable part of your financial reporting. It’s all about building a solid foundation with clear processes and consistent checks. Think of these practices as your framework for creating accurate, transparent, and audit-ready disclosures every single time. By being proactive, you can avoid the last-minute scramble and present your financial story with confidence. The key is to embed these habits into your regular workflow, making flawless reporting the standard, not the exception. Let’s walk through the essential practices that will help you get there.
Your first step is to create a clear, consistent approach to documentation. IFRS 15 introduced more comprehensive disclosure requirements, demanding detailed information on everything from your revenue policies to the significant judgments you make. Without a standardized process, your team might document things differently, leading to confusion and potential errors. Create an internal guide that outlines exactly what needs to be recorded for each contract, how to describe performance obligations, and where to save supporting evidence. This ensures everyone is on the same page and makes it much easier to train new team members and pull information for auditors. You can find more helpful tips on our HubiFi blog.
A second pair of eyes can make all the difference. A robust review process is your best defense against mistakes and misinterpretations. Before any disclosure is finalized, it should go through at least one round of review by a senior team member. This process should involve a careful assessment of each contract to ensure you’ve correctly identified performance obligations and determined the transaction price. This isn't just about checking the math; it's about confirming that the accounting treatment aligns with IFRS 15 principles and your company's policies. A structured review workflow catches inconsistencies early and reinforces accountability across your finance team.
The best way to handle an audit is to be prepared for one at all times. Preparing IFRS notes presents a significant challenge due to complex requirements and the need for audit-proof documentation. Instead of scrambling when auditors arrive, operate as if they’re looking over your shoulder year-round. This means keeping meticulous records of your judgments, contract analyses, and policy decisions in a centralized, easy-to-access location. When you document a significant judgment, explain the why behind your decision. This transparency not only satisfies auditors but also helps your team apply logic consistently in the future. Our team at HubiFi has deep expertise in building these kinds of audit-ready systems.
Think of quality assurance (QA) as the automated checks and balances that support your manual review process. Challenges often arise when applying IFRS 15 in conjunction with other standards, creating new and sometimes unexpected issues. You can build systemic checks to catch these problems automatically. For example, set up exception reports that flag contracts with unusual terms or run reconciliations to ensure the data flowing from your CRM matches what’s in your accounting system. Leveraging technology with seamless integrations can help you perform these checks continuously, giving you confidence that your data is accurate from the source.
IFRS 15 is not a one-and-done task. Your business is always evolving—contracts get modified, new services are introduced, and business models shift. These changes can impact your revenue recognition. Because the rules require ongoing assessment, you need a process for regularly reviewing and updating your IFRS 15 application. Schedule quarterly or semi-annual reviews of your revenue recognition policies and significant judgments to ensure they still make sense for your business. This proactive monitoring helps you stay compliant and adapt to change smoothly. If you’re curious how automation can handle this, you can always schedule a demo with our team.
Passing an audit is one thing, but effectively communicating the results to leadership is another challenge entirely. Your board and executive team aren't just looking for a pass/fail grade; they want to understand the story behind the numbers and how it connects to the company's broader strategy. They’re focused on risk, growth, and the overall health of the business. When you prepare your IFRS 15 disclosures and audit reports, it’s crucial to frame your findings in a way that answers their bigger-picture questions. This means moving beyond technical compliance jargon and presenting information that is clear, concise, and strategically relevant.
When an auditor presents a finding, it can be easy to get lost in the details. A helpful way to structure and understand these findings is through the "Five C's" framework. This model breaks down any audit issue into a clear, logical story. The first C is Criteria (what should be happening), followed by Condition (what is actually happening). Next is Cause (why there’s a difference), then Consequence (the impact or risk of the gap), and finally, Corrective Action (the plan to fix it). Using this structure helps you move from simply identifying a problem to presenting a complete picture with a clear path forward, which is exactly what leadership needs to see.
While you’re focused on the technical details of IFRS 15, your company’s directors are looking at the business through a much wider lens. Their oversight often centers on what can be called the "Four C's": Culture, Competitiveness, Compliance, and Cybersecurity. Your work directly supports the compliance piece, but it also provides valuable data for the others. For example, accurate revenue data helps assess competitiveness in the market. Understanding that leadership is constantly weighing these four areas helps you frame your reports in a way that demonstrates how strong financial controls contribute to the overall strategic health and resilience of the company.
Directors increasingly expect finance and audit functions to look beyond routine checks and focus on strategic risks that could impact the company's future. They want to know how financial realities connect to long-term plans. This is where your IFRS 15 disclosures can become a strategic tool. Instead of just presenting revenue numbers, you can use disaggregated data to highlight trends in different markets or product lines. This shifts the conversation from "Are we compliant?" to "What is this data telling us about our business?" By providing these kinds of strategic insights, you align with leadership's expectations and position the finance team as a valuable partner in driving the business forward.
What's the biggest change IFRS 15 introduced compared to the old revenue rules? The biggest shift is the focus on when a customer gains control of a good or service, rather than just focusing on when risks and rewards are transferred. IFRS 15 provides a single, principles-based framework that applies to all customer contracts. This means you have to look at each promise you make to a customer and recognize revenue only when you've fulfilled that specific promise, which can be a very different timeline than simply sending an invoice.
My contracts are pretty simple. Do I still need to go through all five steps for every single one? Yes, the five-step model is the universal framework for all customer contracts, no matter how simple they seem. The good news is that for a straightforward transaction, like selling a product in a single payment, the steps are very quick and intuitive. The process ensures you're applying a consistent logic to every sale, which is crucial for accurate reporting, even if your business model isn't complex.
What's the most common mistake companies make with IFRS 15 disclosures? A frequent misstep is failing to adequately document and explain the significant judgments made during the revenue recognition process. It’s not enough to just show the final numbers; you have to explain the why behind them. This includes how you determined the transaction price, how you allocated it to different promises, and your reasoning for the timing of revenue recognition. Auditors and investors need this context to trust your financial story.
Can I manage IFRS 15 compliance with spreadsheets? While it might be tempting to use spreadsheets, especially for a smaller volume of transactions, it's a risky approach. Spreadsheets are prone to human error, lack a clear audit trail, and become incredibly difficult to manage as your business grows or your contracts become more complex. A single broken formula or version control issue can lead to significant misstatements, making a dedicated, automated system a much safer and more scalable choice.
How does automating revenue recognition actually help with an audit? Automation helps by creating a single, reliable source of truth for all your revenue data. Instead of digging through scattered files and spreadsheets, an automated system provides a clear, unchangeable trail for every contract and transaction. It shows auditors exactly how you applied the five-step model, documents your judgments consistently, and generates the detailed reports they need. This turns a stressful, time-consuming audit into a much smoother, more straightforward process.
Former Root, EVP of Finance/Data at multiple FinTech startups
Jason Kyle Berwanger: An accomplished two-time entrepreneur, polyglot in finance, data & tech with 15 years of expertise. Builder, practitioner, leader—pioneering multiple ERP implementations and data solutions. Catalyst behind a 6% gross margin improvement with a sub-90-day IPO at Root insurance, powered by his vision & platform. Having held virtually every role from accountant to finance systems to finance exec, he brings a rare and noteworthy perspective in rethinking the finance tooling landscape.
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