How long does monthly bookkeeping take?

For a small business with one bank account and a card, often one to three hours a month once the books are set up; less when transactions are categorized as they arrive.

Do I have to give my email to get the checklist?

No. The full checklist is on this page and the download needs no signup. The email copy is optional.

What if I fall behind?

Catch up one month at a time, oldest first, starting with bank reconciliation.

Free checklist · Bookkeeping

Monthly bookkeeping checklist

Fourteen steps to close your books each month, in the order that makes the next step easier. Read it here, download it for Excel or Google Sheets, or have a copy emailed to you.

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The checklist

Work through these once a month, ideally in the first week after month-end.

Categorize every bank and card transaction for the month
Reconcile each bank account to the statement ending balance
Reconcile each credit card account
Send invoices for all work completed
Follow up on overdue invoices (review AR aging)
Enter and schedule supplier bills (review AP aging)
Attach receipts to expenses
Record owner draws and contributions
Record sales tax collected and file returns that are due
Review the P&L against last month
Review the balance sheet (cash, receivables, payables, loans)
Check that contractor payments carry a W-9 on file
Set aside money for quarterly estimated tax
Back up or save the month-end reports

Let the software do half of it

On HelloBooks Free, transactions arrive through one live bank feed and are categorized for you with free AI credits included, invoices and unlimited email payment reminders go out from the same place, and the P&L, balance sheet and AP/AR aging reports are ready when you reach those steps. $0, no credit card.

How teams use HelloBooks

What HelloBooks does for businesses like yours

“AI categorizes every transaction automatically and learns from your corrections, so a small team keeps clean books without spending evenings on manual data entry.”

Small business · US

“For a practice managing dozens of client books, automated reconciliation turns a full day of matching into a background task — review the AI matches, approve, and move on.”

Accounting practice · US

“Snap a receipt on your phone and the AI reads, categorizes, and files it — bookkeeping stays current even for people who would rather not think about numbers.”

Freelancer · mobile-first

Illustrative scenarios describing what the product does for each business type — not attributed customer reviews.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How long does monthly bookkeeping take?: For a small business with one bank account and a card, often one to three hours a month once the books are set up; less when transactions are categorized as they arrive.
Do I have to give my email to get the checklist?: No. The full checklist is on this page and the download needs no signup. The email copy is optional.
What if I fall behind?: Catch up one month at a time, oldest first, starting with bank reconciliation.