Build a year-end books cleanup checklist with AI

Turn your close process into a clear December checklist for bank recs, undeposited funds, fixed assets and client questions before tax season starts.

The problem

December gets busy, and books that aren't cleaned up push tax work into March. Staff chase the same open items every year without a shared list.

Step by step

1. 1List the cleanup steps you always do (bank recs, undeposited funds, loan balances, fixed assets, prepaid, payroll liabilities).
2. 2Paste that into the prompt below to get a dated December checklist and client questions.
3. 3Check every tax and accounting treatment against IRS rules or your firm's guidance; mark unknowns for the reviewer.
4. 4Assign owners and due dates in your practice management tool or a shared Sheet.
5. 5Send the client question list early so answers arrive before you start returns.

Copy-paste prompt

Help me build a year-end books cleanup checklist for [firm type / my books]. Entity types we handle: [e.g., Sch C, S-corp, partnership, nonprofit]. Steps we always do: [list]. Software: [QBO / Xero / other]. Give me: (1) a December week-by-week checklist with owners left blank for me to fill; (2) a short list of balance-sheet items that often hide problems (undeposited funds, uncleared transactions, loan interest, fixed asset additions); (3) plain-English questions to send clients about new equipment, loans, owners' draws and cash expenses; (4) a one-paragraph note that tax treatment is [CHECK IRS.GOV / REVIEWER]. Do not invent tax advice.

Review AI output before using it. Don’t paste confidential, customer or patient data into tools your company hasn’t approved.

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