Are Your Operations Audit-Ready? A 3-Step Compliance Guide for Manufacturers
- Kimberly Prevost
- Apr 9
- 2 min read
In today’s regulatory landscape, manufacturers face an ever-growing maze of compliance requirements—from traceability and tax exemption documentation to data integrity and reporting. One unexpected audit can reveal costly gaps, especially if your systems are fragmented or outdated.
Here’s a simple 3-step guide to help you ensure your operations are audit-ready, avoid penalties, and stay focused on production—not paperwork.
✅ Step 1: Centralize and Automate Exemption Certificate Management
If you're still collecting exemption certificates manually (or not at all), you’re inviting risk. Missing, invalid, or expired certificates are among the top triggers for tax-related audits—and they can cost thousands in penalties.
Integrate Avalara ECM (Exemption Certificate Management) to:
Automatically collect, validate, and store exemption certificates
Reduce human error with AI-driven validation
Maintain an audit trail and get alerts before certificates expire
➡️ Bonus: ECM integrates seamlessly with SYSPRO ERP, ensuring sales tax compliance is managed from a single source of truth.
🧾 Step 2: Use Your ERP to Track Regulatory Compliance in Real Time
Modern ERPs aren’t just for inventory and accounting—they’re compliance command centers.
SYSPRO offers built-in features for:
Lot traceability to track raw materials and finished goods from supplier to shipment
Audit trails for every transaction, change, and user action
Automated reports to simplify documentation and support FDA, ISO, or tax requirements
Whether you’re preparing for a sales tax audit or demonstrating manufacturing traceability, SYSPRO equips you with what you need—fast.
🔍 Step 3: Schedule Internal Compliance Audits
A proactive internal audit is your best defense against external surprise visits. With the right tools, this doesn’t need to be a manual, painful process.
Use embedded analytics in SYSPRO to:
Spot data anomalies or trends in non-compliance
Monitor user behavior and system changes
Track and report on certificate statuses directly from Avalara ECM
Combine this data with scheduled reviews and you’ll catch issues before auditors do.
💡 Final Thoughts
Audits are no longer rare—they’re a reality. The manufacturers who stay ready avoid costly disruptions, protect their margins, and gain a competitive edge.
Want help building an audit-ready ERP strategy with SYSPRO and Avalara ECM?
📩 Let’s talk. We can help you future-proof your operations and keep compliance effortless.
Kim Prevost
Director of Business Development @ MepApps/MepServices
832.832.0988 Kim.P@MepApps.com
Travis Rudel
PreSales, Implementation & Networking Engineer @ MepApps/MepServices
832.289.8001
📚 Works Cited
Avalara. Automate Exemption Certificate Management. Avalara Inc., 2023. https://www.avalara.com
Deloitte. Global Tax Compliance Survey 2023: A Wake-Up Call for Multinationals. Deloitte Insights, 2023.https://www2.deloitte.com
World Economic Forum. Global Risks Report 2024. WEF, January 2024.https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-risks-report-2024
PwC. How to Prepare for a Sales Tax Audit. PwC Indirect Tax Insights, 2022.https://www.pwc.com
Manufacturing Leadership Council. Ensuring Compliance in Smart Manufacturing. MLC/NAM, 2023.https://www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com
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