What is the primary purpose of an attestation engagement?

The primary purpose of an attestation engagement is to examine, review, or perform agreed-upon procedures on a limited subject matter. At its core, an attestation engagement involves an independent practitioner assessing a specific aspect of a client's operations or finances and providing a report on that assessment. This can include a range of activities such as reviewing compliance with specific regulations or contracts, verifying data accuracy, or evaluating the effectiveness of controls related to a particular area.

Attestation engagements differ from audits in that they do not always involve a full examination of financial records, nor do they necessarily end with an assertion on the overall fairness of financial statements. Instead, they focus on specific information and provide a level of assurance based on the procedures performed. In summary, the essence of attestation engagements is about providing independent verification or validation of particular information rather than an overall audit or extensive review of all financial records.