| name | finance-close-checklist |
| description | Use when running or preparing a month-end close checklist, tracking owners, blockers, reconciliations, accruals, revenue, AR, AP, payroll, and reporting readiness. |
Finance Close Checklist
Use this skill to turn a close calendar and supporting data into a practical close status report.
Inputs
- Close checklist with tasks, owners, due dates, dependencies, and status.
- Trial balance, subledger reports, bank reconciliations, AR/AP aging, payroll, revenue schedules, accruals, and variance analysis.
- Materiality threshold and reporting deadline.
Workflow
- Group tasks by close area: cash, AR, revenue, AP, expenses, payroll, accruals, fixed assets, tax, intercompany, reporting, and review.
- Identify blocked, late, missing-evidence, and high-risk tasks.
- Tie blockers to owners, dependencies, and decisions needed.
- Highlight financial statement risk separately from operational cleanup.
- Build a concise next-action plan for the remaining close window.
Output
Return:
- Close status: on track, at risk, blocked, or ready for review.
- Area-by-area checklist with owner, due date, status, blocker, and next action.
- Material unresolved items.
- Questions and approvals needed.
- Draft controller/CFO update when requested.
Guardrails
- Do not mark an area complete without evidence.
- Do not hide immaterial cleanup if it affects reporting deadlines or audit trail.
- Separate "needs review" from "done."
- Keep close updates factual and action-oriented.
