Templates / Month-end close checklist
Month-End Close Checklist Template
The standard set of close tasks, grouped by category with a due day and an owner.
What it is
A month-end close checklist template is a task list covering everything that has to happen before a period's books can be locked: reconciling cash, invoicing and chasing receivables, recording bills and accruals, posting payroll, handling depreciation and prepaids, and reviewing the final reports. Grouping the tasks by category (cash, revenue, expenses, payroll, assets, reporting) and giving each one a due day relative to period end turns close from a mental checklist someone half-remembers into a repeatable process anyone on the team can run.
The due-day column matters more than it looks. Close tasks have dependencies: you can't post payroll journal entries before payroll runs, and you can't review the P&L before the entries that feed it are posted. Assigning each task a target day after period end (day 1, day 2, day 5, and so on) sequences the work so nothing gets attempted out of order, and it gives you an early warning when a task is running late partway through the close instead of on the last day.
This template mirrors the checklist behind Ledgerler's own close workspace, so it works as a plain spreadsheet on its own and as a preview of what the tool automates: due dates, status, and an owner per task, refreshed every period.
Columns
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Category | Cash, revenue, expenses, payroll, assets, or reporting. |
| Task | The specific close task to complete. |
| Due Day | Target business day after period end for this task. |
| Status | Not started, in progress, or complete. |
| Owner | Who is responsible for the task this period. |
How to use it
- 1.Copy the template at the start of a new period and update the period label.
- 2.Assign an owner to each task based on who handles that area of the books.
- 3.Work through tasks in due-day order, starting with cash reconciliations on day one or two.
- 4.Update the status column as tasks complete so anyone can see where the close stands.
- 5.Review outstanding items on the final due day before locking the period.
- 6.Keep the completed sheet as a record of when the period was closed and by whom.
Skip the spreadsheet
A spreadsheet works, but it doesn't match lines for you or remember what you did last month.