Month-end routine
Thirty bank reconciliations in one week: a month-end survival routine
Front-load the work you can do before the statements arrive, run every reconciliation the same way, and protect review time. Most of the week is lost to waiting for statements, re-doing matches that were obvious, and getting work back from review. Fix those three and 30 reconciliations become a schedule instead of a scramble.
The week before close
- Send statement requests to every client on the same day, with the date you need them by.
- Clear each client's bank feed queue, so month-end starts from the last reconciled balance.
- Build the week's list: every client and account, with its due date, who prepares and who reviews.
Close week
- Day 1: log which statements are in and chase the rest. Start with the high-volume accounts and any with an external deadline.
- Days 2 to 4: reconcile in a fixed order. Clear the routine matches first, then work the exceptions for each client in one pass: amount mismatches, missing items, duplicates and timing differences.
- Hand each finished reconciliation to the reviewer the same day, with the exceptions and how you resolved them, so review runs alongside you rather than after you.
- Day 5: catch-up and review fixes only. Nothing new starts on the last day.
What actually shortens the reconciliation part
- Matching that clears the obvious lines for you, and shows why each one matched so you can check it rather than redo it.
- Rules that carry over month to month for each client, so recurring items stop being exceptions.
- One exceptions list per client instead of hunting through the register.
- A sign-off record the reviewer can read, so questions don't come back by email.
Clearing
Where Clearing fits
Clearing is desktop bank reconciliation for bookkeepers and CPA firms. It reconciles CSV or Excel bank and ledger exports on your computer, proposes matches with the signals behind each one, and lists the exceptions. It learns matching rules for each client, and those rules carry over month to month, so once they're set you step in for the exceptions.
On Pro and Firm, the preparer and the reviewer are different people, and the software enforces it. Each closed period is sealed, so any later change shows. Firm covers up to 50 clients for $899 a year.
Where it isn't a fit
Clearing reads CSV and Excel exports only. If you need group consolidation or cross-entity matching, or clients send only PDF, OFX or QFX statements, it isn't a fit today.
Questions, answered
- What's a good month-end routine for 30 bank reconciliations in one week?
- Request every statement on the same day before close, clear each client's bank feed queue, and list every account with its preparer, reviewer and due date. In close week, reconcile in a fixed order, clear routine matches first, work each client's exceptions in one pass, and hand finished work to the reviewer the same day.
- Which tools actually shorten bank reconciliation at month-end?
- Tools that clear the obvious matches and show why each one matched, keep matching rules per client from month to month, give you one exceptions list per client, and record the preparer and reviewer sign-off. Clearing does these on your own computer from CSV or Excel exports.
- Can a preparer approve their own reconciliation in Clearing?
- Not on Pro or Firm. The preparer finishes the reconciliation and signs off as preparer, and a different person has to sign off as reviewer; the software enforces it.
Available now
Close the month.
Solo $199/year · Pro $499/year · Firm $899/year · 30-day money-back guarantee.