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Free month-end close checklist generator

A month-end closing checklist for accounts payable lists every task from cut-off to locking the period, with an owner and a due day for each. Answer six questions about your accounting system, team and invoice volume, and this generator builds one you can copy, print or download as CSV. It runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Updated November 13, 2026 · Aequo editorial team

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AP month-end close checklist

QuickBooks Online · 2 to 3 people · finish by business day 5

Clear exceptions weekly during the month so the close is review, not catch-up.

Before month-end

Announce the cut-off
Tell vendors and requesters the last date an invoice counts for this month, and where to send it.
AP lead · 5 business days before month-end
Request statements from top vendors
Ask the largest vendors for a statement so missing invoices surface before the close, not after.
AP lead · 3 business days before month-end
Chase receipts for delivered goods
Make sure goods that arrived this month are received against their POs, or three-way matches will fail.
Requester · 2 business days before month-end
Sweep pending approvals
Remind approvers of invoices waiting on them, starting with the oldest and the largest.
AP lead · 1 business day before month-end

Cut-off and capture

Capture every invoice received by cut-off
Check the AP inbox, shared mailboxes, vendor portals and paper so nothing received this month is left out.
AP lead · Last day of the month
Check for duplicate bills
Look for the same invoice number, or the same amount on close dates, on one vendor before anything posts.
AP lead · BD1
Match PO invoices to receipts
Three-way match every PO invoice. Route price and quantity variances outside tolerance to the buyer.
AP lead · BD1

Close the AP ledger

Clear or document every open exception
Resolve variances, missing receipts and coding questions. Anything still open at month-end may need an accrual.
AP lead with requester · BD1
Post every approved bill dated this month
Confirm every approved invoice is in the ledger with the right date, vendor, account and class or department.
AP lead · BD2
Accrue received but not billed
Accrue goods and services received with no invoice yet, from the received-not-invoiced list.
AP lead · BD2
Book prepaid and recurring entries
Amortize prepaid expenses and post recurring entries such as rent and subscriptions that are not billed every month.
AP lead · BD3
Reconcile the AP aging to the balance sheet
The AP aging total must equal the accounts payable control account. Explain every difference.
AP lead · BD4

Review and lock

Review the AP reconciliation and accruals
A second person reviews the reconciliation, the accrual list and any large or unusual bills.
Controller or owner · BD4
Update 1099 vendor records
Make sure new vendors paid this month have a W-9 on file and are marked as 1099 vendors where they should be.
AP lead · BD5
Review vendor bank-detail changes
List every vendor whose bank details changed this month and confirm each was verified by a call to a known contact.
Controller or owner · BD5
Lock the period
Set a closing date with a password: Settings, Account and settings, Advanced, Accounting, Close the books.
Controller or owner · BD5

How to lock the period in your system

The last step stops anyone posting into a month you have closed. Each system does it differently.

System	Where to lock the period
QuickBooks Online	Set a closing date with a password: Settings, Account and settings, Advanced, Accounting, Close the books.
Xero	Set a lock date: Accounting, Advanced, Financial settings, Lock dates.
NetSuite	Lock A/P, then close the period, from the period close checklist in Setup, Accounting, Manage Accounting Periods.
Sage Intacct	Use Close books in General Ledger to close the period for Accounts Payable and the ledger.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central	Move the Allow Posting From date forward in General Ledger Setup (and on user setups that override it).
Zoho Books	Lock transactions up to the period end in Settings, Transaction Locking.
FreshBooks	FreshBooks has no period lock: export the AP aging for the file and tell everyone not to edit dated entries.
Another system	Use your system’s period close or lock date so nobody can post into the closed month.

What your answers change

The core tasks are the same for everyone. Your answers add tasks, assign owners and set the due days.

Purchase orders add receipt chasing, three-way matching and a received-not-invoiced accrual.
More than one entity adds an intercompany payables reconciliation.
US 1099 vendors add a W-9 and 1099-flag check for vendors first paid this month.
Team size sets the owner of each task and who reviews. A one-person team gets an outside review.
Target day spreads the close tasks so the review and the lock land on that business day.
Volume changes the advice on how often to clear exceptions during the month.

For the reasoning behind each step, including cut-off and accrual rules, read accounts payable month-end close.

Aequo AP

Start the close with invoices already captured and matched

Most of the checklist is catch-up: finding invoices, checking duplicates, matching and chasing approvals. Aequo AP does that as invoices arrive. It reads each invoice, codes it, three-way matches PO invoices, flags likely duplicates and routes approvals, so month-end starts with only the exceptions left.

Accounting sync is live with QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks, Zoho Books and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Unlimited users on every public plan.

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Frequently asked questions

What should a month-end close checklist include for accounts payable?

Announce the cut-off, capture every invoice received by it, check for duplicates, match PO invoices to receipts, clear or document exceptions, post every approved bill dated in the month, accrue what was received but not billed, reconcile the AP aging to the balance sheet, have a second person review it, and lock the period.

How many days should the AP close take?

There is no single standard. A common goal is to finish AP in the first few business days, so the rest of the close is not waiting on payables. The generator spreads the tasks to land on the day you choose. If you cannot hit it, the cause is usually invoices arriving late or exceptions piling up during the month.

What does BD1 mean?

BD1 is the first business day after the month ends, BD2 the second, and so on. Tasks before month-end are counted back from the last day of the month.

What if I am the only person doing AP?

Choose "Just me" and the checklist assigns the review to the owner or an outside accountant. One person preparing and approving their own reconciliation is the gap auditors look for first.

Can I use it every month?

Yes. Download it as CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, or print it. The CSV has empty Done and Notes columns to fill in each month.

Is anything I enter saved or sent?

No. The checklist is built in your browser from your answers. Nothing is uploaded or stored, and there is no sign-up.