SyteLine Month End Close Checklist (Free)

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11 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.

Download checklist:

1. Operational cut-off

Confirm all shipments for the month are posted and none are left in a pending state.CRITICALConfirm all purchase receipts for the month are entered, including those on the dock.Process or reverse unmatched receipts that cannot be invoiced yet.Post pending inventory transactions: adjustments, transfers and scrap.Post outstanding job material issues and labor transactions.CRITICALComplete jobs that finished physically but are still open.Review stopped and long-running jobs for correct status.Agree the cut-off with the warehouse and production managers in writing.

2. Accounts receivable

Post all customer invoices and credit memos for shipments in the period.CRITICALPost and apply customer payments, including lockbox or bank files.Review unapplied cash and unapplied credits.Reconcile the AR subledger to the general ledger control account.CRITICALReview the aged receivables report and update the doubtful debts estimate.Check foreign currency receivables and revaluation settings.

3. Accounts payable and receiving

Enter all supplier invoices received through the last day of the month.Accrue goods received not invoiced and review the accrual report.CRITICALClear or explain purchase price variances.Post supplier payments and voids for the period.Reconcile the AP subledger to the general ledger control account.CRITICALCheck foreign currency payables and exchange gain or loss.

4. Inventory and WIP

Run inventory valuation and reconcile it to the inventory general ledger accounts.CRITICALRun the WIP report and reconcile it to the WIP general ledger account.CRITICALInvestigate negative on-hand quantities and negative cost balances.Review job cost variances and post or explain them according to policy.Review cycle count results and book approved adjustments.Check for obsolete and slow-moving items that need a reserve.Review standard cost changes made during the month and their revaluation.Confirm intersite or transfer in-transit balances reconcile.

5. General ledger and close

Make sure all subledger journals are transferred to the general ledger.CRITICALPost accruals, prepayments and recurring journals.Review the trial balance for unusual balances and suspense accounts.Run currency revaluation if used.Get management review of key reconciliations and sign them off.CRITICALClose the period in each module only after reconciliations are signed off.CRITICALRun financial statements and compare against budget and prior month.Back up or archive close reports and record any open items for next month.

Tick each item as it is finished. Items marked critical are the ones that most often cause reopened periods or audit questions. Module names and the order of steps vary by version and setup, so adjust the list to your own close calendar.

Automated close reconciliations

Optional: see how WIP, inventory and receipt reconciliations can be run as read-only questions on your SyteLine data.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the checklist

Copy the list into your close calendar at the start of the month and assign an owner and a day to each group. Tick items as they are done and export the result as evidence for audit or for next month's improvement review. The critical items are the control points: cut-off confirmation, subledger to ledger reconciliations, WIP and inventory valuation, and management sign-off before period close. If you are short of time, never skip those.

Why operational cut-off comes first

Accounting can only reconcile what operations has posted. If shipments are entered after the invoice run, revenue and cost of goods land in different periods. If receipts are late, accrued liabilities are understated. If material is issued to jobs after the WIP report is run, WIP and inventory each carry an error that cancels at the total level but not by account. Agreeing a written cut-off with the warehouse and shop floor managers prevents most of these before they reach the ledger.

Stop late posting by agreeing a cut-off time.
Complete finished jobs, do not leave them open.
Accrue receipts that are not invoiced.

Reconciliations that matter

Four reconciliations carry most of the risk in a manufacturing close. AR subledger to ledger, AP subledger to ledger, inventory valuation to ledger and WIP to ledger. When any of them is out, look for manual journals to control accounts, transactions posted to a closed period, or items with negative quantities and costs. Keep the reconciliation, the explanation and the approver together so the next month starts from known differences rather than a blank page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a SyteLine month end close take?

It varies with volume, number of sites and how much is automated. Many teams aim for a few working days. The biggest improvements come from fixing late postings and recurring reconciliation differences rather than from working faster during the close.

What should I reconcile first?

Start with cut-off checks on shipments, receipts and job transactions, then reconcile subledgers to their control accounts. Inventory and WIP depend on those operational transactions being complete, so they are best reconciled after the cut-off review.

Why does WIP not match the general ledger?

Typical causes are manual journals to the WIP account, transactions posted after the report was run, jobs completed with unabsorbed cost, or variances not yet posted. Compare job level detail to the ledger by transaction date to find the gap.

Can I reopen a period if I find a mistake?

That depends on your system configuration and permissions, and many companies restrict it. A better habit is to book a correcting entry in the open period with a clear explanation and approval, and to track recurring mistakes for process fixes.

Netray can automate the reconciliation queries against SyteLine, for example WIP, inventory valuation and receipts not invoiced, and show the SQL used so your team can verify every number.

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SyteLine Month End Close Checklist