Docs & FAQ
Everything you need to run your first audit checklist, and exactly how your data is protected while you do.
Start Here
Getting Started
  1. Download ai-audit-checklist.html from the GitHub repo, or simply launch it directly from this site.
  2. Open it — it runs in your default browser. No install, no server, no build step.
  3. Paste your Anthropic API key into the API Key field (starts with sk-ant-).
    New to this? An API key is just your own personal password for talking to Claude directly — it's what keeps this tool private, since there's no shared login. Get one free at console.anthropic.com: sign up, add a small amount of credit (₹200–500 lasts a firm a full year), go to "API Keys," click "Create Key," and copy it in. Takes about 3 minutes. Full step-by-step walkthrough →
  4. Fill in engagement details — entity name, financial year, entity type, audit type. Optionally list your team's names (comma-separated) if you want to assign items later.
  5. Optionally tap focus area chips for the areas you want the AI to pay extra attention to.
  6. Provide the financial data — paste it as text, or switch to the "Upload PDF" tab and drag one in directly. Toggle on Prior-Year Comparison and paste last year's figures for automatic year-on-year risk flags.
  7. Click "Generate Audit Checklist." A risk-stratified, assertion-mapped checklist appears within seconds.
  8. Work through it — tick off items, track progress, expand or collapse sections.
  9. Click "Copy All" to paste the full checklist into your working papers.
  10. Click "Clear Session" when done, or just close the tab — the API key and any leftover data are wiped automatically.
Before You Start
Requirements
  • Any modern browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.
  • Your own Anthropic API key from console.anthropic.com.
  • No coding knowledge, installation, or IT support needed.
Non-Negotiable for CA Practice
Privacy & Architecture

Client financials are confidential information. Here's exactly how this tool guarantees that, technically — not just as a promise.

100% Client-Side
All logic runs inside your browser, on your machine. No server, no backend, no database — nothing runs outside your computer.
CSP-Enforced Isolation
A Content Security Policy meta tag at the top of the file blocks every outbound connection except to api.anthropic.com — enforced by your browser before any JavaScript runs.
Session-Only API Key
Your key lives only in sessionStorage, wiped the moment you close the tab. Never written to disk, never written to a cookie.
Auto-Clear Inputs
After the AI responds, the financial data you pasted is automatically wiped from the form fields.
Anthropic Zero Retention
Anthropic's API does not store, log, or train on data submitted via API calls. Each call is stateless and ephemeral.
Offline Capable
The file works without internet except the moment you click Generate — and even then, only to reach api.anthropic.com.

You can open the HTML file in any text editor and read the exact CSP line enforcing this yourself — nothing here is a black box.

What It Actually Costs
Cost & Impact
BeforeWith this tool
Time per checklist6–10 hoursUnder 30 minutes
Annual time · 40 engagements~320 hours~20 hours (300 hrs freed)
Cost per checklist—₹5–12 (API only)
Annual cost · 40 engagements—₹200–500
Annual cost · 100 engagements—₹500–1,200

No hosting cost, no software licence, no maintenance fee — just the pay-as-you-go Anthropic API cost for each checklist generated.

Common Questions
FAQ
Is the AI output always accurate?
No — and it isn't meant to replace professional judgment. The AI produces a first draft. It reduces preparation time from hours to minutes, not to zero. The CA reviewing the output remains fully responsible for the final checklist and the audit opinion built on it.
What about client confidentiality under ICAI guidelines?
This tool is a productivity aid, exactly like a Word template or a calculator — the CA still owns the judgment and the output. The CSP enforcement and session-only architecture ensure no client data is stored anywhere or shared with anyone beyond the single API call to Anthropic needed to generate the checklist.
Can it handle different types of entities?
Yes — Private Limited, Public Limited, Partnership, LLP, Proprietorship, and Trust/NGO are all supported, and the AI adjusts its procedures and compliance flags based on the entity type selected.
What if the client's data is in Tamil, Hindi, or another regional language?
Claude understands multiple Indian languages. You can paste data or notes in Tamil, Hindi, or another regional language and the AI will process it correctly.
What does it cost per year?
Roughly ₹200–500 annually for a firm running 40 audit engagements, or ₹500–1,200 for 100 engagements — all of it the pay-as-you-go Anthropic API cost. There is no subscription or licence fee for the tool itself.
How does the PDF upload actually work — is it OCR?
No separate OCR step. The PDF is sent directly to Claude as a native document, the same way you'd paste text — Claude reads the tables and figures in the PDF itself, including scanned or visual elements. It never leaves your browser except in that one API call, same as pasted text.
Does the team assignment feature share data between staff members?
No — there's still no server or shared storage. Assignment is a local, per-session convenience: you type your team's names once, assign items to them on screen, and those assignments are included when you click Copy All so you can paste the result into a shared working paper or tracker yourself.
What happens if Anthropic changes their API or the service is unavailable?
The tool's logic lives entirely in the system prompt, not tied to a specific provider. The HTML file can be updated to point to a different compatible API if ever needed — nothing about the architecture locks you in.
Read Before Relying On This Tool
Disclaimer
⚠ Professional Judgment Required

This tool generates a first draft of an audit checklist using AI. It does not constitute audit evidence, a completed audit programme, or professional advice on its own. The Chartered Accountant or audit professional using this tool remains fully responsible for reviewing, verifying, and exercising professional judgment on every item before it is relied upon in any engagement. Always cross-check AI-generated red flags and procedures against the actual client data, applicable SA standards, and your firm's quality control policies.

What's Next
Roadmap

Phase 1 & 2 — Delivered. Everything on this site is live and working today — paste or PDF upload, risk-stratified assertion-mapped checklists, prior-year comparison with automatic YoY flagging, and team assignment.

Phase 3 — Scaling to a product. White-label version for CA firms with custom branding and a multi-client dashboard, industry-specific templates (Manufacturing, NBFC, NGO, Real Estate), and direct Tally/Zoho Books integration.

Full Technical Writeup
Source & License

This project is free and open source under the MIT License — fork it, white-label it, adapt it for your own firm.

→ GitHub Repository (source code & LICENSE) → Learning Guide — full technical architecture & prompt engineering patterns → Speaker Notes — the full story behind the tool → Original Slide Deck (PPTX)