A clean month-end close isn’t just for big companies. For small businesses, it’s one of the simplest ways to reduce tax-season stress, improve cash clarity, and make better decisions throughout the year. The goal is consistency—not complexity.
Tip: If you only do one thing, reconcile your bank and card accounts monthly. It catches duplicates, missing transactions, and categorization issues early.
The month-end close checklist
- Reconcile bank and credit card accounts to statements
- Review uncategorized transactions and clean up categories
- Match invoices and payments (accounts receivable)
- Review bills, subscriptions, and vendor payments (accounts payable)
- Confirm payroll entries and contractor payments (if applicable)
- Attach key receipts or invoices to large transactions
- Generate monthly reports (P&L, balance sheet) and spot-check changes
What “good” looks like
A solid close means you can answer basic questions quickly: How much did we make? Where did the money go? Are there any unusual expenses? Do we have enough cash runway? Clean books turn those questions from guesswork into real management.
Make it easier next month
- Use a dedicated business card so transactions categorize cleanly
- Create simple rules for recurring vendors and subscriptions
- Store receipts in a single place (email folder or drive)
- Schedule a fixed “close day” each month and keep it short
If you’d like a done-for-you month-end close and clean reporting, our bookkeeping package includes monthly reconciliations and a year-end package designed for tax time.
