---
title: "Month-end close checklist: Owners, inputs, and review"
description: "A month-end close checklist with the owner, reviewer, inputs, due day, and done-when test for every task, plus SaaS, small business, and multi-entity versions."
url: https://emptyspaces.ai/resources/blog/month-end-close-checklist
language: en
---

[Blog](https://emptyspaces.ai/resources/blog) Checklist

# Month-end close checklist: Owners, inputs, and review

Published October 7, 2026 18 min read

Key takeaways

- A month-end close checklist covers every recurring close task with its owner, a separate reviewer, the inputs it needs, a due day, and a clear test for when it's done.
- The checklist below runs from the last week of the month to business day 8, with versions for SaaS companies, small businesses on QuickBooks Online, and multi-entity teams.
- In Ledge's 2025 survey, 94% of finance teams used Excel in the close, and most automated less than 40% of it.

A month-end close checklist is the list of tasks your finance team completes each month to record, reconcile, adjust, and review the books. Getting it right keeps the close on schedule, catches missing inputs early, and gives your auditors a clear record of who prepared and reviewed each task. This guide gives you a full checklist by area, how to build and review it, and versions for SaaS, small business, and multi-entity teams.

## What is a month-end close checklist?

A close checklist is a task list that turns your close process into assigned work. Each line names one task, who does it, who reviews it, what it depends on, and when it's due. That lets anyone on the team see what's done and what's late.

- **Owner** The person who prepares the task and is accountable for finishing it on time
- **Reviewer** A second person who checks the work and signs it off, never the same person as the owner
- **Done when** The test that tells you the task is complete, such as "AR aging equals the general ledger"

You'll also see it called a monthly close checklist, an end-of-month accounting checklist, a closing checklist, or a financial close checklist. In finance teams organized by process, the month-end close sits inside record-to-report (R2R), the workflow that runs from recording transactions to producing reports.

The checklist is different from the close process itself. The [month-end close process](https://emptyspaces.ai/resources/blog/month-end-close-process) explains the steps and their order. The checklist is the working document your team ticks off every month.

## Why is a month-end close checklist important?

A close checklist is important because it makes the close repeatable: every task has an owner, a deadline, and a reviewer, so nothing depends on one person's memory. It also gives you the timing data you need to find and fix the steps that slow your close.

The data shows where the time goes. In Ledge's 2025 survey of 100 finance professionals, reconciling accounts ranked as the biggest time sink in the close, and cash reconciliation alone took 20–50 hours a month. APQC's benchmark database puts the median monthly close at 6 calendar days from first trial balance to consolidated statements. A checklist with due days lets you measure your own close against numbers like these.

## What are the steps involved in a month-end close checklist?

The checklist follows five steps in order: prepare before month-end, record the month's transactions, reconcile accounts, post adjusting entries, then review, sign off, and report. Following that order helps you avoid reviewing numbers that are still changing.

1. **Pre-close** Send cutoff dates, chase approvals, and reconcile high-volume accounts to date in the last week of the month.
2. **Record** Post every invoice, bill, payroll run, and cash receipt that belongs to the month.
3. **Reconcile** Match bank, card, and subledger balances to an outside record and explain every difference.
4. **Adjust** Post accruals, prepaid amortization, depreciation, and inventory adjustments.
5. **Review and report** Run the flux review, sign off the statements, lock the period, and send the management pack.

For what each step involves and who takes part, see [What is month-end close?](https://emptyspaces.ai/resources/blog/month-end-close#what-happens)

## What tasks should be included in a month-end close checklist?

Your checklist should include a task for every recurring entry and every balance sheet account, grouped by area. Grouping tasks this way helps you assign them by role and spot gaps quickly:

- **Pre-close** Cutoff dates, open approvals, early reconciliations, and accrual requests
- **Cash and bank** Statements, bank and card reconciliations, and old reconciling items
- **Receivables and revenue** Invoicing, cash application, the AR tie-out, deferred revenue, and the bad debt allowance
- **Payables and accruals** Bill posting, purchase order matching, accruals, and the AP tie-out
- **Payroll** Payroll journals, wage and bonus accruals, and payroll liabilities
- **Other balance sheet accounts** Prepaids, fixed assets, inventory, debt, and equity
- **Review and reporting** Journal entry approval, flux review, sign-off, period lock, and the management pack

## Month-end close checklist for accounting teams

This checklist covers the full month-end accounting process for a single entity. It gives every task an owner, a separate reviewer, the inputs it needs, a due day, and a done-when test. It assumes one entity, a five-person team, and books that close on business day 5, so adjust the roles and days to fit your team.

### Pre-close: Last week of the month

Pre-close work clears the inputs that usually hold up day one.

- Send cutoff dates and the close calendar. Owner: Controller. Reviewer: CFO. Due: Last week.
Inputs
Close calendar, department contacts
Done when
Every department has its cutoff date
- Chase open invoice and expense approvals. Owner: AP lead. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Last week.
Inputs
Approval queue, expense reports
Done when
Every open approval has an owner and a due date
- Reconcile bank and card accounts to date. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Last week.
Inputs
Bank and card feeds
Done when
Every unmatched item to date is explained
- Request accrual inputs from budget owners. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Last week.
Inputs
Open purchase orders, contracts
Done when
Each budget owner has listed costs not yet billed

### Cash and bank

Reconciling cash first gives you a reliable starting point for every other account.

- Save month-end statements for every account. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 1.
Inputs
Bank portals, card platform
Done when
A statement is on file for every account, including dormant ones
- Reconcile each bank account. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 2.
Inputs
Bank statement, cash ledger
Done when
The ledger agrees with the statement, and each reconciling item has a date, amount, and cause
- Reconcile cards and payment processor accounts. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 2.
Inputs
Card statements, payout reports
Done when
The clearing account holds only payouts in transit
- Clear old reconciling items. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 2.
Inputs
Prior reconciliations
Done when
No item is older than your policy limit without an explanation

### Accounts receivable and revenue

Closing receivables ensures revenue lands in the month you earned it.

- Invoice everything delivered in the month. Owner: AR lead. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 1.
Inputs
Contracts, delivery or usage records
Done when
Every delivery has an invoice or an accrued revenue entry
- Apply cash receipts to invoices. Owner: AR lead. Reviewer: Staff accountant. Due: Day 1.
Inputs
Bank feed, remittance advice
Done when
Unapplied cash is listed by customer
- Tie the AR aging to the general ledger. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 2.
Inputs
AR aging, trial balance
Done when
The aging total equals the AR account
- Update deferred and unbilled revenue. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Contracts, billing schedule
Done when
The revenue schedule agrees with the general ledger
- Review the allowance for doubtful accounts. Owner: AR lead. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Aging, disputes, collection history
Done when
Aged and disputed balances are reviewed, and the entry is drafted

### Accounts payable and accruals

Payables need their own cutoff, because supplier bills often arrive after the month they belong to.

- Post approved bills received by the cutoff. Owner: AP lead. Reviewer: Staff accountant. Due: Day 1.
Inputs
Approved invoices
Done when
Every bill received by the cutoff is posted or on the exceptions list
- Match bills to purchase orders and goods receipts. Owner: AP lead. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 1.
Inputs
Purchase orders, receiving records
Done when
Price and quantity differences are resolved or raised
- Accrue goods and services received but not billed. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Open POs, receiving records, contracts, budget owner input
Done when
Every known unbilled cost has an amount or estimate with support
- Clear prior-month accruals. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Prior accrual schedule, posted bills
Done when
No accrual remains for a bill that has posted
- Tie the AP aging to the general ledger. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 2.
Inputs
AP aging, trial balance
Done when
The aging total equals the AP account
- Reconcile your largest supplier statements. Owner: AP lead. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Supplier statements
Done when
Every difference is explained

Example

A contractor works 40 hours in the last week of March at $75 an hour and invoices on April 10. You accrue 40 × $75 = $3,000 in March. When the bill posts in April, the March accrual reverses, so the cost appears once, in March.

### Payroll

Payroll checks catch the wages and benefits that belong to the month but haven't been paid.

- Post the journal for each payroll run. Owner: Payroll lead. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 1.
Inputs
Payroll register
Done when
Gross pay, taxes, and deductions match the register
- Accrue wages earned after the last pay date. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 2.
Inputs
Timesheets, pay calendar
Done when
Every day worked and not paid is accrued
- Accrue bonuses, commissions, and paid time off. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Bonus plans, commission reports, PTO balances
Done when
Each accrual has a calculation on file
- Reconcile payroll liability accounts. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Tax filings, benefit invoices
Done when
Each balance equals the amount due

### Prepaids, fixed assets, inventory, debt, and equity

These accounts change slowly, so a schedule for each one keeps the monthly work short.

- Amortize prepaid expenses. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Prepaid schedule, new invoices
Done when
The schedule equals the general ledger
- Capitalize additions and record disposals. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Invoices above your capitalization threshold, disposal notices
Done when
The fixed asset register is current
- Post depreciation. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Fixed asset register
Done when
Depreciation in the ledger equals the register
- Reconcile inventory to counts. Owner: Cost accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Count results, shipping and receiving records
Done when
Book quantities match counts, and write-downs are approved
- Reconcile debt and accrue interest. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Loan statements, amortization schedules
Done when
Principal agrees with the lender, and interest is accrued to month-end
- Reconcile equity accounts. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 4.
Inputs
Cap table, board approvals
Done when
Every equity movement has an approval on file

### Journal entries, review, and reporting

The final group turns reconciled accounts into signed statements and a report for leadership.

- Approve manual journal entries before posting. Owner: Preparer. Reviewer: Senior accountant or controller. Due: Day 3.
Inputs
Support for each entry
Done when
Every entry has support and an approver who didn't prepare it
- Reconcile every balance sheet account. Owner: Staff and senior accountants. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 4.
Inputs
Adjusted trial balance, schedules
Done when
Each reconciliation is signed by its preparer and reviewer
- Run the flux review. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 4.
Inputs
Adjusted trial balance, prior month, budget
Done when
Every movement above your threshold is explained
- Sign off the statements and lock the period. Owner: Controller. Reviewer: CFO. Due: Day 5.
Inputs
Statements, reconciliation pack
Done when
Statements are signed, and the period is locked
- Prepare budget vs. actual and the management pack. Owner: Finance lead. Reviewer: CFO. Due: Days 6–7.
Inputs
Signed statements, budget, forecast
Done when
The CFO has the pack
- Archive the close package. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Controller. Due: Day 6.
Inputs
Signed reconciliations, entries, and reports
Done when
One folder per month holds every signed file
- Review what slowed the close. Owner: Controller. Reviewer: CFO. Due: Day 8.
Inputs
Due and completed dates for each task
Done when
Each late task has a fix, an owner, and a date

## Who should own the month-end close checklist?

The controller should own the close checklist, while each task has its own preparer and a separate reviewer. Clear ownership keeps one person accountable for the schedule and leaves the detailed work with the people closest to each account.

- **Staff accountants** Prepare reconciliations and gather support for routine accounts
- **Senior accountants** Handle accruals and complex accounts, and review staff work
- **Controller** Owns the checklist and the close calendar, reviews material accounts, and signs off the statements
- **CFO** Reviews material estimates, unusual transactions, and the final results rather than every reconciliation

In a smaller team, the same person may prepare several areas. Keep the reviewer separate for every task, even if that means the controller reviews more of the work.

## Columns to include in your checklist

A checklist works when every row carries enough detail for someone new to complete the task without asking. Whether you keep it in Excel, Google Sheets, or your accounting system, give each task these columns:

| Column | What it holds | Example |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Task | One action with a clear end point | Tie the AP aging to the general ledger |
| Area | The account group it belongs to | Accounts payable |
| Owner | One named person, not a team | Staff accountant |
| Reviewer | A different named person | Senior accountant |
| Inputs | The data or documents the task needs, and who supplies them | AP aging from the AP lead |
| Depends on | Tasks that must finish first | Post approved bills |
| Due | Business day relative to month-end | Day 2 |
| Done when | The test for completion | The aging total equals the AP account |
| Evidence | A link to the reconciliation, schedule, or entry support | Link to the AP reconciliation file |
| Exceptions | Open items and how they'll be resolved | One unmatched credit memo, cleared Day 3 |
| Status and sign-off | Not started, in progress, in review, or done, with dates | Done, reviewed on Day 2 |

In a spreadsheet, keep one row per task and one tab per month, and copy the tab forward each month. Add a drop-down list for status and a rule that highlights overdue rows. A completion rate at the top, done tasks divided by total tasks, shows progress at a glance. Keep step-by-step procedures in a separate document and link to them, so the checklist stays readable.

## Steps to create an effective month-end close checklist

A checklist built from your own accounts fits your business better than a generic list. These six steps help you build one that your team can run every month.

1. **Start from the trial balance** Give every balance sheet account a reconciliation task, then add each recurring journal entry.
2. **Assign one owner and one reviewer** Name a person for each role and keep them separate, so no one reviews their own work.
3. **Name the inputs and who supplies them** List every report, statement, or estimate a task needs, including those from outside finance.
4. **Set due days and dependencies** Use business days relative to month-end, and record which tasks must finish before others can start.
5. **Write a done-when test** Make it specific enough that the reviewer can confirm it, such as "the ledger agrees with the bank statement."
6. **Review the checklist after every close** Add tasks for new accounts or entities, remove tasks that no longer apply, and move due days that keep slipping.

Example

Your accruals task is due on day 3, but the AP lead rarely finishes posting bills until late on day 2. Recording "Depends on: post approved bills" makes the link visible, so a late day 2 shows up as a risk to day 3 before it happens.

## How to review close checklist tasks

Review is where the checklist earns its value, because it catches errors before the numbers reach leadership. A reviewer should check four things before signing off any task:

- **The balance ties out** The reconciled balance matches the trial balance for the same date
- **Support is attached** Each reconciling item and journal entry links to a statement, invoice, contract, or calculation
- **Differences are explained** Every item above your threshold has a cause and a next step
- **The preparer is someone else** The person who signs off didn't prepare the work

If any check fails, send the task back with the reason and leave it open on the checklist. A task only counts as done once the reviewer signs it off.

## How does a month-end close checklist help with audits?

A close checklist helps with audits by recording who prepared, reviewed, and approved every task, with the support attached. That gives your auditors evidence that every material account was reconciled and reviewed on time, instead of relying on what one person remembers.

A signed checklist shows auditors four things:

- **Completeness** Every balance sheet account has a task, so none can be skipped quietly
- **Segregation of duties** The preparer and reviewer are different people on every task
- **Support** Each reconciliation and entry links to the documents behind it
- **Timeliness** Due and completed dates show the controls ran every month, not just at year-end

Example

Your September cash reconciliation shows a bank balance of $415,500, outstanding checks of $6,000, and deposits in transit of $2,500. The adjusted balance is $415,500 − $6,000 + $2,500 = $412,000, which matches the ledger, so the difference is $0. The checklist row records the preparer, the reviewer, the sign-off date, and links to the statement and ledger detail.

## Month-end close checklist best practices

The best close checklists move work out of the first days of the month and make every task easy to check. These practices help you improve the month-end closing process without adding people:

- **Reconcile during the month** Match bank and card activity weekly, so only the last few days remain at month-end
- **Start before day 1** Post recurring entries, collect accrual inputs, and chase approvals in the last week of the month
- **Set a review threshold** Explain every account that moves more than a set amount and percentage, such as $10,000 and 10%, instead of reviewing every line
- **Link evidence to the task** Keep each reconciliation, schedule, and approval with its checklist row, not in email or desktop folders
- **Roll the checklist forward each month** Start from last month's list, then add or remove tasks for new accounts, entities, or contracts
- **Measure the close** Track late tasks, tasks reopened after review, and days to close, then fix the top three after each month

## Common close checklist mistakes

These six mistakes make a checklist look finished when the close isn't:

- **Tasks owned by a team** "Accounting" or "AP" isn't an owner, so no one is accountable when the task runs late
- **Done without evidence** A ticked box doesn't prove the reconciliation ties or that someone reviewed it
- **No dependencies** A downstream task, such as the flux review, gets marked done while the numbers feeding it are still changing
- **Tasks that are too vague or too detailed** "Accruals" tells no one what to do, while 20 click-by-click steps belong in a procedure document
- **Skipping quieter accounts** Teams reconcile cash carefully but leave prepaids, accrued liabilities, and deferred revenue unreviewed for months
- **Never updating the checklist** A task that's late every month needs a new due day, a new input, or a new owner

Ledge's 2025 survey of 100 finance professionals asked what blocks a faster close. Each blocker it found has a checklist fix:

| Blocker (share of teams, Ledge 2025) | Checklist fix |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Dependence on other departments (56%) | List each input under the person who supplies it, with its own due day |
| Excel (50%) | Keep one version of the checklist, with status and sign-off on every row |
| Legacy systems (40%) | Add a task for each manual export, with an owner and a time |
| Complex transactions (39%) | Give each complex entry its own task, with a calculation template |
| Understaffing (37%) | Move reconciliations into the month, so less work lands on day 1 |

How long the close should take depends on your size and structure. For benchmarks, see [How long should month-end close take?](https://emptyspaces.ai/resources/blog/month-end-close-time)

## Month-end close checklist for SaaS companies

A SaaS close adds tasks for subscription revenue, sales commissions, and usage-based costs on top of the core checklist. Adding them as separate rows keeps the highest-judgment areas under controller review.

- Reconcile deferred revenue and recognize revenue under ASC 606. Owner: Revenue accountant. Reviewer: Controller.
Inputs
Contracts, billing system, CRM
Done when
The deferred revenue roll-forward agrees with the general ledger
- Tie billing system invoices and credits to the general ledger. Owner: Revenue accountant. Reviewer: Controller.
Inputs
Billing system reports
Done when
Invoiced revenue and credits agree with the ledger
- Capitalize and amortize sales commissions under ASC 340-40. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller.
Inputs
Commission reports, contract terms
Done when
New commissions are capitalized, and amortization is posted
- Accrue cloud hosting and usage costs. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller.
Inputs
Provider usage dashboards, prior invoices
Done when
Usage for the month is accrued if not yet billed
- Record stock-based compensation. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Controller.
Inputs
Equity platform grant and vesting reports
Done when
Expense for the month is posted by department
- Review sales tax liabilities. Owner: Staff accountant. Reviewer: Senior accountant.
Inputs
Billing system tax reports, filings
Done when
The liability equals the amount due

## Small business month-end close checklist

A small business can close in a few days with a shorter list, as long as every bank, card, and loan account is reconciled. This step-by-step version suits a business on QuickBooks Online with a bookkeeper and an outside accountant:

- Step 1: Sync bank and card feeds and categorize every transaction. Owner: Bookkeeper.
Done when
No uncategorized transactions remain for the month
- Step 2: Reconcile every bank and credit card account. Owner: Bookkeeper.
Done when
Each account agrees with its statement
- Step 3: Clear the Undeposited Funds account. Owner: Bookkeeper.
Done when
Every customer payment sits in a bank deposit
- Step 4: Review the AR and AP aging reports. Owner: Bookkeeper.
Done when
Open invoices and bills are real and current
- Step 5: Reconcile loans and split payments into principal and interest. Owner: Accountant.
Done when
Loan balances match lender statements
- Step 6: Check payroll and sales tax liabilities. Owner: Accountant.
Done when
Each balance matches the provider or the return
- Step 7: Clear Uncategorized, Ask My Accountant, and suspense balances. Owner: Accountant.
Done when
These accounts are at zero
- Step 8: Compare the P&L and balance sheet with last month. Owner: Owner and accountant.
Done when
Every large change is explained
- Step 9: Close the books. Owner: Accountant.
Done when
A closing date is set in Settings > Account and settings > Advanced > Accounting > Close the books

## Financial close checklist for corporate accounting teams

Corporate accounting teams with several entities add a consolidation layer on top of the single-entity checklist. These tasks usually run on days 3–5, once each entity's books are reconciled.

- Agree intercompany balances with each counterparty. Owner: Entity accountants. Reviewer: Group controller.
Inputs
Intercompany schedules from each entity
Done when
Both sides agree, and differences are resolved
- Revalue foreign-currency balances. Owner: Senior accountant. Reviewer: Group controller.
Inputs
Month-end exchange rates
Done when
Revaluation entries are posted for every entity
- Post eliminations and consolidate. Owner: Consolidation accountant. Reviewer: Group controller.
Inputs
Entity trial balances, ownership structure
Done when
Intercompany balances net to zero in the group
- Translate subsidiary statements. Owner: Consolidation accountant. Reviewer: Group controller.
Inputs
Average and closing rates
Done when
Translation adjustment is booked and explained

## Closing the period in NetSuite, QuickBooks, and SAP

The checklist stays the same in every accounting system, and what changes is where you lock the period. NetSuite has a built-in Period Close Checklist under Manage Accounting Periods. QuickBooks Online uses a closing date with an optional password, and SAP closes posting periods by account type. The exact menu paths for each system are in the [month-end close process](https://emptyspaces.ai/resources/blog/month-end-close-process#by-system) guide.

### What are the typical month-end closing activities in SAP?

In SAP, the month-end close covers the same tasks as any checklist, run through specific transactions or their SAP S/4HANA apps:

| Activity | Transaction |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Open and close posting periods | OB52, or the Manage Posting Periods app |
| Run depreciation | AFAB |
| Revalue foreign-currency balances | FAGL\_FCV |
| Clear the GR/IR account | MR11 |
| Run cost center assessments | KSU5 |

## How to automate the month-end closing process

Automation shortens the close most on tasks that repeat every month with the same inputs. In Ledge's 2025 survey, 94% of finance teams used Excel in the close, and most automated less than 40% of it.

Start with the tasks that take the most time and follow clear rules:

- **Bank and card matching** Match transactions daily so only exceptions remain at month-end
- **Recurring and reversing entries** Set up prepaid amortization, depreciation, and reversing accruals to post on schedule
- **Subledger tie-outs** Compare AR, AP, and payroll balances with the general ledger automatically
- **Reminders and status** Send due-day reminders and show overdue tasks without manual chasing

### Can AI automate a month-end close checklist?

AI can prepare much of a month-end close checklist, but a person should still approve entries and close the period. The safest split is that an AI agent prepares and investigates, a named reviewer approves, and only approved entries post to your ERP.

| Close task | What an AI agent can prepare | What stays with a person |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Bank and subledger reconciliations | Match transactions, list differences, and attach support | Review and sign off |
| Exceptions | Trace each difference to its likely cause, with the documents | Decide the treatment |
| Accruals and recurring entries | Calculate the amount and draft a balanced entry | Approve estimates and material entries |
| Flux review | Compare balances with prior months and budget, and draft explanations | Confirm the business reason |
| Checklist status | Track due days, dependencies, and blocked tasks | Resolve blockers |
| Period lock | Report what's complete and what's open | Sign off and lock the period |

Keep approval with a person. Automated entries should still go to a named reviewer before they post, so your controls stay the same as your workload drops.

If you want your checklist worked through the month, with each task prepared, sent to a named reviewer, and locked at sign-off, [explore Autonomous Close](https://emptyspaces.ai/product/close).

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