An engagement letter refers to a legal document that defines the relationship between a business providing professional services and its clients. Engagement letters set the terms of the agreement between two parties and include details such as the scope, fees, and responsibilities, among others.
Engagement letters set expectations for both the client and the party providing the service, it specifies the exact service or task to be performed by the firm and the information to be provided by the client. All engagement letters also generally contain various deadlines for each sub-task.
An engagement letter is a written agreement that describes the business relationship to be entered into by a client and a company. The letter details the scope of the agreement, its terms, and costs.
Purpose of Engagement Letters It's the responsibility of the service provider to draft this document in alignment with the services to be rendered and in compliance with legal and professional standards.
The service provider typically prepares the Letter of Engagement, be it a law firm, accounting agency, consultancy, or any professional offering services.
What Is an Engagement Letter? An engagement letter is a written agreement that describes the business relationship to be entered into by a client and a company. The letter details the scope of the agreement, its terms, and costs. The purpose of an engagement letter is to set expectations on both sides of the agreement.
How to write an engagement letter Write the name of the business leader. Specify the purpose of the partnership. List the duties of the client. Identify the timeline for completing the project. Include resources the client delivers. Attach a disclaimer. Validate the terms of the agreement.
For an engagement letter to be binding, there must be agreement to the terms on both sides. The engagement letter is drafted and, in most cases, signed by the firm, therefore there is clear evidence of the agreement of the contents of the letter on the firm's side.
It is in the interests of both the entity and the auditor that the auditor sends an audit engagement letter before the commencement of the audit to help avoid misunderstandings with respect to the audit.