Month-End Close Checklist for Client Books | HelloBooks A month-end close checklist for client books: cut-off, reconciliations, accruals, fixed assets, payroll tie-out, review, lock the period and send reports.
The close turns a month of bookkeeping into numbers you are willing to show the client. Run it in the same order every time, and lock the period when you are done.
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Smarter accounting for growing businessesCut-off
All transactions to month end imported and coded
Reconcile
Bank, card, loan and clearing accounts
Accrue
Unbilled revenue and unpaid expenses
Assets
Additions recorded with invoices; depreciation posted
Tie out
Payroll and sales tax liabilities to their reports
Review
Compare to prior month and budget; investigate swings
Lock and report
Close the period; send the report pack
Publication 583 says asset records should show when and how the asset was acquired, the purchase price and the cost of improvements. Capture the invoice when you record the addition at month end, not when the tax return asks for it.
A close review needs a comparison. Use the prior month and, where the client has one, the budget. HelloBooks reports can show budget and variance columns next to actuals, which makes swings obvious.
Once the reports go out, prevent changes to the closed month so the numbers the client saw stay the numbers in the books. Corrections go into the current month with a note.
Efficiency · report pack
Efficiency · monthly checklist
For CPA and bookkeeping firms · efficiency
Every federal change for the 2025 and 2026 seasons
General information for tax and accounting professionals, not legal advice. Rules are summarised from the primary sources listed on the date shown; read the current text before relying on it.
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