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TEMPLATES MONTH-END WORKFLOW

Month-End Close Workflow (Canada) — a repeatable system for every client

Month-end closes feel hard when they’re reinvented each month. This workflow gives Canadian firms a consistent path: request → reconcile → review → deliver → close.
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Month-end close workflow template for Canadian bookkeeping firms

How to use

1
Treat this as your “default monthly cycle” template.
2
Apply it to every monthly client.
3
Use statuses: Not Started → Waiting on Client → In Progress → Review → Complete.
Recommended statuses Use statuses: Not Started → Waiting on Client → In Progress → Review → Complete

Month-End Close Workflow Template (2026)

Stage 0: Month kickoff (Day 1–3)
  • Send month-end document request (bank/credit card statements, receipts, invoices)
  • Confirm any business changes (new accounts, loans, payroll changes)
  • Confirm closing timeline and expected delivery date
Stage 1: Reconciliation (Day 3–8)
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Credit card reconciliation
  • Categorize uncategorized transactions
  • Match/attach receipts (if required)
  • Handle transfers and inter-company items (if applicable)
Investigate exceptions:
  • Unknown transactions
  • Duplicate entries
  • Missing statements
Stage 2: Review & adjustments (Day 8–12)
  • Review P&L for reasonableness
  • Review balance sheet (AR/AP, loans, taxes payable)
  • Confirm owner’s draws / shareholder loan movements (if applicable)
  • Payroll entries verified (if applicable)
  • Sales tax allocation reviewed (GST/HST)
Stage 3: Client questions & follow-ups (as needed)
  • Compile questions into a single message
  • Request missing info with a deadline
  • Update tasks to “Waiting on Client”
  • Resume and complete once received
Stage 4: Deliverables (Day 12–15)
  • Finalize monthly reports (as included in your service)
  • Confirm completion in your system
Send summary to client:
  • key notes
  • issues to fix
  • upcoming deadlines
Stage 5: Close & archive
  • Mark month as complete
  • Store statements and key docs in client folder
  • Note recurring issues for next month (missing receipts, late statements)
  • Roll forward recurring tasks to next month
Bonus: “Monthly document request” template (copy/paste)
Subject: Month-End Documents Needed — [Month]
Body:
Hi [Name], To complete your [Month] bookkeeping, please upload by [Date]: • Bank statements for: [accounts] • Credit card statements for: [cards] • Any invoices issued not already shared • Any large/one-off expenses with receipts Upload here: [link] Thanks!

Want this workflow to run automatically every month?

Bookwits lets you create recurring templates, assign owners, track status, and keep docs organized—so month-end closes don’t live in spreadsheets.
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