Xero and ERP Data Forensics
Forensic analysis of cloud accounting and ERP data, led by a Xero Certified Advisor and Advanced Cloud ERP Consultant.
The Evidence Is in the System
Most businesses now run on cloud accounting and ERP systems. Every invoice, payment, edit and deletion leaves a record, and the transaction-level data often tells a very different story from the summary reports that are usually produced in a dispute.
Steven P. Rider CA CPA is a Xero Certified Advisor and Advanced Cloud ERP Consultant who has spent years implementing and working inside the systems businesses use every day. That practical knowledge means we know where the data is held, how it can be extracted completely, and what the system’s history can reveal about who did what, and when.
Our data forensics underpins our fraud investigations, asset tracing and business valuations, and supports law firms that need accounting evidence they can rely on.
Our Data Forensics Services
Ledger Data Extraction
Extracting complete transaction-level data so the full picture can be analysed, not just summary reports.
Audit Trail and History Review
Reviewing transaction history to identify who created, edited, voided or deleted entries, and when.
Bank Reconciliation Testing
Comparing bank statements and bank feeds with recorded transactions to find unrecorded, misallocated or manipulated items.
Supplier and Payee Analysis
Testing contact and payee data for duplicates, changed bank details and suspicious relationships.
Transaction Analytics
Analysing large volumes of transactions to highlight unusual patterns, timing, round amounts and outliers.
Record Reconstruction
Rebuilding accounts where records are incomplete, inconsistent or have been deliberately altered.
Access and Controls Review
Assessing user access, permissions and approval controls that allowed errors or misconduct to occur.
System Migration Issues
Investigating discrepancies arising when data has been migrated or converted between accounting systems.
Our Approach to System Data
Scope the Systems
We identify which systems, files, users and periods are relevant to the questions in your matter.
Preserve and Extract
We obtain the data in a controlled way and document how it was obtained, so its source can be explained.
Analyse and Test
We test the data against bank records and other independent sources, and investigate anomalies.
Explain the Findings
We translate technical findings into clear conclusions for lawyers, clients and the court.
When System Data Matters
- Fraud and embezzlement investigations
- Family law matters involving a business’s accounting file
- Shareholder disputes over the accuracy of the accounts
- Disputes over altered, backdated or deleted entries
- Loss calculations that need transaction-level detail
- Reconstructing accounts after poor or incomplete bookkeeping
Why AuditTrace for Data Forensics
- Systems expertise: Xero Certified Advisor and Advanced Cloud ERP Consultant
- Digital by design: a 100% digital practice built for fast, secure data handling
- Forensic experience: investigations conducted since 1999
- Plain English: technical findings explained clearly
- Independent: all work performed in accordance with APES 215
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you tell if transactions have been deleted or changed in Xero?
Xero keeps a history for many transactions, including edits, voids and deletions. Reviewing that history alongside bank records and other documents can show what changed, when and by which user, depending on the data available.
Do you need login access to the accounting system?
Ideally, yes. Read-only or advisor access arranged with the business, or obtained through the legal process, gives the most complete picture. Where access is not possible, we can work from exported data.
Which accounting systems do you work with?
Our core expertise is Xero, and we also work with data from other common cloud accounting and ERP platforms. Please tell us which system is involved when you contact us.
Can you reconstruct records if the books are incomplete?
Yes. We rebuild transactions using bank statements, invoices, third-party records and other available sources, and clearly identify any remaining gaps.
How do you show the data is reliable?
We document how data was obtained and preserved and test it against independent sources, so its source and integrity can be explained. Whether evidence is admitted is a matter for the court.
How do you keep client data secure?
Data is stored securely with controlled access, and every file received is logged. See our Privacy Policy for more information.
Discuss Your Accounting Data
Tell us which system is involved and what you need to establish. We will explain what the data can show and how we would approach it.