Preaudit

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. An examination of financial records or accounts conducted before they receive official approval or certification
2. A preliminary review of documents or figures prior to their final authorization or formal acceptance
3. An initial inspection of records to verify accuracy and compliance before they are formally endorsed

Etymology: "Preaudit" is a plain compound: the prefix "pre-", meaning "before," attached to "audit." The "audit" half comes from Latin "auditus," meaning "a hearing," from "audire," "to hear," so an audit was originally a hearing of accounts, the examination of records read aloud. Pairing it with "pre-" gives the sense of checking financial or administrative records before they are formally finalized or before a full audit takes place.