Period-End Closing Process

Period-End Closing

Monthly Closing Checklist

1. Reconcile All Bank Accounts - Match every bank statement line. Book balance should equal bank balance.
2. Reconcile AR/AP - Match all payments to invoices. Unreconciled items should be investigated.
3. Verify Tax Report - Ensure tax amounts match invoices/bills posted this period.
4. Review Trial Balance - Check for unbalanced entries, suspense accounts, or unusual balances.
5. Depreciation - Run depreciation entries for fixed assets.
6. Deferred Revenue/Expenses - Post deferral entries if using this feature.
7. Adjusting Entries - Post accruals, prepayments, and corrections in the Miscellaneous journal.
8. Generate Financial Reports - P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow. Review with management.
9. Lock the Period - Set lock dates to prevent changes (see below).

Lock Dates

Lock dates prevent posting entries in closed periods. Set in Accounting > Configuration > Settings → "Lock Dates" section.

• Fiscal Year Lock Date - No changes allowed before this date for any user.
• Period Lock Date - No changes allowed before this date for non-accountant users. Accountants still have access.
• Journal-Specific Lock Dates - Set different dates per journal.

Fiscal Year-End Closing

1. After the year-end P&L is finalised, post closing entries:

• Zero out temporary accounts (revenue, expenses).
• Transfer net profit/loss to Retained Earnings.

Audit Trail

Accounting > Reporting > Audit Trail shows every posted entry with:

• Entry number (sequential).
• Date and time posted.
• User who posted.
• IP address.
• Journal and reference.

Regularly review the audit trail to ensure data integrity. Export for external auditors.

Best Practices

• Close each month within 10 business days of month-end.
• Lock periods promptly to prevent accidental changes.
• Run the Trial Balance before and after closing to verify accuracy.
• Maintain a closing checklist document and track completion.
• Use the chatter on journal entries to document adjustments for future reference.