Copy either or both. The structure matters more than the wording — each stage assumes the one before it is genuinely complete, which is why closes fall apart when documents arrive halfway through reconciliation.

Stage 1 — Before the month ends

  • Confirm the client list to be closed this month and each agreed due date.
  • Send the pre-close reminder so clients start gathering documents.
  • Flag known one-offs: asset purchases, new loans, grants, insurance claims, unusual transactions.
  • Confirm any staffing or capacity constraints for the close window.
  • Check for clients with outstanding items from last month that will block this one.

Stage 2 — Collect source documents

  • Bank statements for every account, complete and with no gaps.
  • Credit card statements for every card.
  • Receipts and invoices supporting expense transactions.
  • Sales records and invoices issued.
  • Payroll reports for the period.
  • Loan, lease and finance statements.
  • Industry-specific documents (settlement statements, POS summaries, remittance advice, grant records).
  • Mark each client complete or outstanding — and chase only the outstanding ones.

Stage 3 — Record

  • Import or enter all transactions.
  • Categorise expenses and attach receipts to the matching transactions.
  • Record sales and customer receipts.
  • Post payroll journals.
  • Record accruals, prepayments and depreciation.
  • List anything you cannot code and send the client one consolidated question list.

Stage 4 — Reconcile

  • Reconcile every bank account to its statement.
  • Reconcile every credit card account.
  • Reconcile merchant, POS and payment platform clearing accounts to zero.
  • Reconcile loan balances to lender statements, splitting principal and interest.
  • Review accounts receivable and payable ageing for stale or duplicated items.
  • Reconcile any trust, premium or restricted fund account, where applicable.
  • Investigate and document any unreconciled difference — do not carry it forward silently.

Stage 5 — Review

  • Compare the P&L against prior months and flag anything unexpected.
  • Check the balance sheet for negative balances, suspense accounts and stale items.
  • Confirm no personal expenses have been coded as business without a note.
  • Confirm every material transaction has supporting documentation.
  • Check the prior month's open questions have been resolved.

Stage 6 — Deliver and close out

  • Produce the client's monthly reports.
  • Write a short commentary on anything the client should notice.
  • Send reports and log the delivery date.
  • Record open items and questions for next month.
  • Lock the period if your software supports it.
  • Note anything that slowed this close down, and fix one of them before next month.
Where the days actually go: stages 3 to 6 take hours. Stage 2 takes days, and almost all of it is waiting. If you want a faster close, that is the only stage worth optimising.

The client-facing version

Send this one. Rewriting your internal checklist into client language every month is wasted effort — this is the short version, ready to use.

What I need from you for {{month}} — due {{date}}

☐ Bank statements — every account, full month
☐ Credit card statements — every card
☐ Receipts for any expense over {{amount}}
☐ Sales invoices you issued
☐ Payroll reports, if you have staff
☐ Anything unusual: new loans, big purchases, insurance claims, grants

Send everything here: {{upload link}} — no login, works from your phone.

If I have all of this by {{date}}, your {{month}} accounts will be with you by {{date}}.

Run this checklist per client, automatically

ClientClose turns stage 2 into a saved per-client checklist with a no-login upload link and automatic follow-up on whoever is behind. A live dashboard shows exactly which clients are holding up the close, and receipts post to QuickBooks Online or Xero in one click.

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