> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.calbudget.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Business audit workflow

> Run a CalBudget Business SaaS spend audit from vendor normalization through approved savings actions and reports.

The CalBudget Business audit workflow turns messy company spend into evidence-backed opportunities. The goal is not to guess which tools to cancel; the goal is to help a verified business make safer decisions with a clear record.

## Audit loop

<Steps>
  <Step title="Normalize vendors">
    Convert transaction descriptors, card labels, and upload rows into recognizable SaaS vendors with category, cadence, and confidence.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Detect recurring SaaS">
    Identify repeat charges, renewals, trials, price changes, and ownerless tools.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find savings opportunities">
    Group duplicate tools, unused or forgotten trials, renewal risks, downgrade candidates, and consolidation options.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Attach evidence">
    Keep the transaction, account, cadence, amount, vendor, confidence, and supporting notes with the recommendation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign an owner">
    Give each opportunity a person, due date, and next action.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approve the action">
    Require human approval before canceling, downgrading, consolidating, negotiating, or monitoring.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the outcome">
    Mark the result only after the business confirms what happened.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Report savings">
    Separate potential savings from confirmed savings in monthly reporting.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Opportunity types

Common opportunity types include:

* Duplicate tools
* Forgotten trials
* Upcoming renewals
* Price increases
* Downgrade candidates
* Consolidation candidates
* Negotiation candidates
* Owner review
* Monitor only

## Evidence rules

Every recommendation should have evidence and confidence. Evidence may include the original transaction, vendor normalization, recurrence pattern, renewal date, amount, account source, and related notes.

<Warning>
  Never mark a subscription canceled from inference alone. A cancellation, downgrade, or card action must require explicit human confirmation.
</Warning>

## Approval and audit trail

Sensitive actions should write audit events. The audit trail should preserve:

* Who approved the action
* What action was approved
* Which vendor and workspace were involved
* What evidence supported the decision
* When the status changed
* Whether the outcome is potential, approved, in progress, or confirmed

## Reporting

Reports should distinguish:

* Monthly SaaS spend
* Potential savings surfaced
* Approved savings work
* Confirmed savings
* Renewals pulled forward for review
* Open items that still need an owner or decision

This keeps CalBudget Business useful for founders, operators, bookkeepers, and fractional CFOs who need to prove the value of the audit.