Skip to content

Year-end closing checklist

Close the financial year step by step, with an owner and a due date for each task.

Fill it in and preview

Year-end closing checklist

Company: Northfield Bakery Ltd
Year end: 31 December 2028
Closing lead: Anna Berg, Finance Manager
External accountant: Clarke and Moss Accountants
Books closed by: 31 January 2029

Filing deadlines

Annual accounts: 30 September 2029
Tax return: 31 October 2029

How to use this checklist

Each line is one task: owner, task and due date. Tick a task off only when its evidence is saved with the closing file.

1. Cut-off and transactions

Owner Task Due date
Anna Berg Post all invoices dated on or before 31 Dec 8 Jan
Anna Berg Check goods received and not invoiced 8 Jan
Omar Khan Record December payroll 10 Jan

2. Reconciliations

Owner Task Due date
Anna Berg Bank accounts to statements 12 Jan
Anna Berg Customer balances to the ledger 12 Jan
Omar Khan Supplier statements to the ledger 14 Jan
Omar Khan Loan balances to lender statements 14 Jan

3. Accruals, prepayments and adjustments

Owner Task Due date
Anna Berg Accrue unpaid bills and bonuses 15 Jan
Anna Berg Prepaid insurance and rent 15 Jan
Anna Berg Bad debt review 16 Jan
Anna Berg Depreciation 16 Jan

4. Stock and fixed assets

Owner Task Due date
Maria Costa Year-end stock count and valuation 2 Jan
Maria Costa Asset register check 10 Jan

5. Tax and compliance

Owner Task Due date
Anna Berg Sales tax returns up to date 18 Jan
Anna Berg Payroll tax filed 18 Jan
Anna Berg Tax computation to the accountant 25 Jan

6. Review and sign-off

Owner Task Due date
Anna Berg Trial balance review and variance check 26 Jan
Daniel Roche Management review and approval 30 Jan
Daniel Roche Lock the year in the system 31 Jan

Open issues

A 4,200 supplier dispute is not yet agreed. Held as a provision.

Closing lead

______________________ Date: ____________

Approved by

______________________ Date: ____________

Templates are a careful starting point, not legal advice. Where the law matters, check what applies where you are.

Finance and accounting

What this template is for

A year-end closing checklist for finance teams: cut-off, reconciliations, accruals, stock, assets, tax and sign-off. Add owners and dates, then Word or PDF.

It is free to fill in online, needs no account, and downloads as a Word document or a PDF. See all Finance and accounting templates

Finance and accounting

What you fill in

The form asks for 13 details. The document fills itself in as you type.

  • Company

    For example: Northfield Bakery Ltd

  • Year end date

    For example: 31 December 2028

  • Closing lead

    For example: Anna Berg, Finance Manager

  • External accountant (optional)optional

    For example: Clarke and Moss Accountants

  • Books closed by

    For example: 31 January 2029

  • Filing deadlines to meet (optional)optional

    For example: Annual accounts: 30 September 2029 Tax return: 31 October 2029

  • Cut-off and transactions

    One row for each task.

    For example: Anna Berg | Post all invoices dated on or before 31 Dec | 8 Jan Anna Berg | Check goods received and not invoiced | 8 Jan Omar Khan | Record December payroll | 10 Jan

  • Reconciliations

    One row for each task.

    For example: Anna Berg | Bank accounts to statements | 12 Jan Anna Berg | Customer balances to the ledger | 12 Jan Omar Khan | Supplier statements to the ledger | 14 Jan Omar Khan | Loan balances to lender statements | 14 Jan

  • Accruals, prepayments and adjustments

    One row for each task.

    For example: Anna Berg | Accrue unpaid bills and bonuses | 15 Jan Anna Berg | Prepaid insurance and rent | 15 Jan Anna Berg | Bad debt review | 16 Jan Anna Berg | Depreciation | 16 Jan

  • Stock and fixed assets

    One row for each task.

    For example: Maria Costa | Year-end stock count and valuation | 2 Jan Maria Costa | Asset register check | 10 Jan

  • Tax and compliance

    One row for each task.

    For example: Anna Berg | Sales tax returns up to date | 18 Jan Anna Berg | Payroll tax filed | 18 Jan Anna Berg | Tax computation to the accountant | 25 Jan

  • Review and sign-off

    One row for each task.

    For example: Anna Berg | Trial balance review and variance check | 26 Jan Daniel Roche | Management review and approval | 30 Jan Daniel Roche | Lock the year in the system | 31 Jan

  • Open issues (optional)optional

    For example: A 4,200 supplier dispute is not yet agreed. Held as a provision.

Finance and accounting

What is inside

The parts of this document, in order.

  1. 1Filing deadlines
  2. 2How to use this checklist
  3. 31. Cut-off and transactions
  4. 42. Reconciliations
  5. 53. Accruals, prepayments and adjustments
  6. 64. Stock and fixed assets
  7. 75. Tax and compliance
  8. 86. Review and sign-off
  9. 9Open issues

Templates

How it works

  1. 01

    Fill in

    Type your details in the form. The document fills itself in as you type; click any gap to jump to its field.

  2. 02

    Check

    Read it through. Gaps you have not filled stay marked, so nothing goes out half done.

  3. 03

    Download

    Save it as a Word document to edit further, or as a PDF to send or print.

Make it yours with AI

Open it in the chat and ask for changes: shorter, firmer, another situation, another language.

Adapt it with nerix

Finance and accounting

Questions people ask

What details does this template ask for?

The form asks for 13 details, starting with Company, Year end date, Closing lead, Books closed by, Cut-off and transactions. 3 more are optional.

Can I download this template as Word or PDF?

Yes. When you have filled in the form, save it as a Word document to keep editing, or as a PDF to send or print. It is free and needs no account.

Is what I type sent anywhere?

No. What you type stays in your browser while you fill in the document. It only goes to nerix if you choose to open the template in the chat.

What should I check before I use this template?

Filing deadlines, audit duties and required statements differ by country and legal form. Check them, and ask your accountant what you must file and when.

Are these finance templates free?

Most are. Fill in and download them for free as Word or PDF, with no account. A few longer documents are premium: free to fill in, paid once to download, and marked with their price.

Do these templates include tax rules?

No. Tax and invoicing rules differ by country. Each template has fields for amounts and references, and you add the tax details your local rules require.

Can I use them with my accounting software?

Yes. They are plain documents. Download the Word version, or copy the figures into your software.