Month-end close checklist
The month-end close checklist for QuickBooks
A month-end close checklist you can work through in order: reconcile every account, post the month's accruals and adjustments, review the profit and loss and balance sheet, then lock the period and deliver the package. Tick items as you go — your progress saves in your browser.
The close, phase by phase
0 of 24 — start anywhere.
Prepare & gather
Reconcile accounts
Accruals & adjustments
Review statements
Close the period & deliver
The list is print-friendly — to keep a copy, use your browser's print option and choose Save as PDF.
How to use this checklist
Work it top to bottom, once a month. Each phase feeds the next: you gather the source documents, reconcile every account to its statement, post the accruals and adjustments the reconciliation and calendar call for, review the finished statements, then lock the period so the month stays closed. Jump to the P&L before you reconcile and you are reviewing numbers that have not been proven yet.
This checklist is the repeatable, monthly version of the same discipline behind our methodology and our month-end close service — the phases and their order are what keep a file trustworthy month after month. Tick items as you finish them; your progress saves in your browser on this device, and nothing is sent to us unless you ask for a review.
Questions about the month-end close checklist
What is a month-end close?
A month-end close is the routine that finishes a month's books: you reconcile every account to its statement, post the accruals and adjustments that belong to the period, review the profit and loss and balance sheet, then lock the month so the numbers stay fixed. Done monthly, it keeps your financials current instead of leaving a year-end scramble.
Do I have to reconcile before I post adjustments?
Yes — reconcile first. Reconciling every bank, card, and loan account to its statement is what surfaces the missing, duplicated, and miscategorized transactions. Post accruals and depreciation on top of unreconciled balances and you are adjusting numbers that were never right, so the phases here are ordered on purpose.
Does my progress save?
Yes. Each item you tick is stored in your browser on this device, so you can close the tab and pick up where you left off. It is not sent anywhere; clearing your browser data or switching devices starts the list fresh.
What if I fall behind and several months are open?
Close them one month at a time, oldest first, running this full list on each — a later month cannot be trusted until the one before it is reconciled and locked. If the backlog is large, a free QuickBooks review will tell you how far behind the file really is before you commit the hours.