The Business: D.S Audit Services
Products: SMSF Auditomation
Industry: SMSF Auditing
Role Interviewed: Dinesh Nanayakkara SSAud, Co-Founder & Director of Strategic Partnerships
Cloudoffis Customer: Since 2026
Key Results: 10–15 minutes saved per file, standardised workflows across 4,000+ audits annually
D.S Audit Services is an independent, specialist SMSF audit firm established in 2013, providing audit-only services to accounting firms across Australia. For more than 13 years, the firm has built its reputation on technically robust, independent SMSF audits and long-term client relationships grounded in responsive service and consistent quality.
As the firm continued to grow its national client base, it became clear that scaling successfully would require more than new software, it would require rethinking every stage of the audit workflow. Prior to migrating to Cloudoffis, D.S Audit Services operated using another software provider alongside an internally developed audit methodology, quality control process and documentation framework. It had served the firm well – but as the business grew, the cracks in a general-purpose platform started to show particularly around inconsistent processes and manual handoffs.
At the time, the firm was auditing approximately 4,000 SMSFs annually across a growing national client base. Continuing to scale efficiently would take more than incremental improvements but a structural rethink.
“We wanted a platform that could automate routine administrative tasks, standardise workflows, improve visibility across our production pipeline and reduce manual touchpoints, while maintaining the high level of technical oversight our clients expect.”
Rather than keep adapting general audit software to SMSF work, the firm went looking for something built specifically for it and a partner that undertook the real challenge was operational not just technological.
D.S Audit Services undertook a comprehensive review of the SMSF audit platforms available in the market. The evaluation criteria were clear: the software needed to be purpose-built for SMSF audits, cloud-based, capable of workflow automation and comprehensive documentation, and able to scale with the firm without compromising quality.
Just as important was the team behind the product.
“We wanted a development team that actively engaged with industry practitioners, listened to client feedback and demonstrated a genuine commitment to continuous product development. For us, selecting audit software wasn’t just about the features available today – it was about partnering with a provider that shares our vision for the future of SMSF auditing.”
That relationship took shape well before the switch. The firm first knew of Cloudoffis through industry events and clients already using the platform, before reconnecting with Cloudoffis’ team at an industry event. A follow up meeting in Melbourne saw several Cloudoffis team members – including the founders, fly out to meet the firm in person, working through specific requirements like cryptocurrency handling.
“Having the team fly out to our office was a game changer. They genuinely care.”
Rather than an immediate switch, D.S Audit Services undertook a structured migration – testing workflows, feeding back to the Cloudoffis development team, and confirming the platform aligned with its quality management requirements before moving its production environment across.
The rollout started small and deliberate. D.S Audit Services first tested the process with a group of 20 to 30 funds among loyal clients toward the end of the year, before expanding further. The firm is now progressively transitioning its broader client base of 120 to 130 firms onto the new system, with roughly 15% of that list migrated so far.
The team was clear that SMSF Auditomation on its own wasn’t the transformation – redesigning the workflow around it was.
“The migration gave us the opportunity to critically review every stage of our audit lifecycle – from job allocation and document requests through to technical review and audit completion. Auditomation wasn’t about replacing auditors – it was about enabling them to focus on the work that adds the greatest value to our clients.”
That philosophy has become something of a guiding principle for the firm:
“Every minute saved through automation is another minute invested into professional judgement.”
Integration with Microsoft Office and BGL 360 became central to daily work, cutting 10–15 minutes off every file and reducing errors through greater consistency. Pre-loaded, pre-written audit reports, the billing module, practice analytics and the query module – which gives clients visibility on outstanding items and status – quickly became firm favourites.
Saving 10–15 minutes per file might sound modest in isolation, but at D.S Audit Services’ scale, it adds up fast. Across approximately 4,000 audits annually, even the lower end of that range equates to more than 80 working days a year redirected away from admin and back into technical review, client service and audit quality.
Results achieved using SMSF Auditomation:
“Perhaps the biggest benefit is confidence. We have greater confidence in the consistency of our workflows, the quality of our documentation and our ability to continue growing the business while maintaining the high standards our clients expect.”
Clients have noticed this too. With visibility over queries and statuses via the scorecard, they’re seeing more transparency and accountability throughout the audit process.
The impact hasn’t been limited to process – it’s changed team culture as well.
“By reducing administrative complexity and improving workflow transparency, our team can spend more time concentrating on technical audit work and less time managing the process itself.”
For firms considering a cloud-based SMSF audit platform, D.S Audit Services offers three pieces of advice:
“Don’t just digitise your existing process – use the transition as an opportunity to build a better one.”
If you’re a firm looking to automate your SMSF audit process today, you can learn more about SMSF Auditomation here.
You can book a demo with a Cloudoffis expert here.
