ACCOUNTING·July 2026
Preparing year-end close without surprises
Year-end is predictable. The backlog that comes with it should not be.
Most closing difficulties originate months earlier: unreconciled bank accounts, unconfirmed customer and supplier balances, inventories without a physical count, fixed assets without updated records.
A calm close is built through the year. Reconciling monthly, confirming balances with third parties at least twice a year and keeping the depreciation schedule current removes from the last quarter the work that usually piles up there.
It is also worth anticipating the areas that require judgement: impairments, provisions, accruals and deferrals. These are decisions that benefit from unhurried discussion and documentation supporting the criteria adopted.
The goal is not only to meet the deadline. It is to reach the close with accounts management recognises and can explain.