AI SkillPlan closeFinance
Turn month-end close work into a day-by-day plan with owners, blockers, and deadlines. — Claude Skill
A Claude Skill for Claude Code by Anthropic✓ — run /close-management in Claude·Updated Jun 13, 2026·vmain@da04ccb
Builds a close calendar, dependency map, task dashboard, critical path, and daily status cadence so finance teams can see what is done, blocked, or at risk.
- Turns close activities into a clear T+1 through T+5 calendar.
- Shows dependencies so teams know which tasks block statements, review, and hard close.
- Creates a close status dashboard with owners, deadlines, blockers, and notes.
- Flags at-risk tasks early enough for the controller to reassign or escalate.
YouToday
Finance tracks close work in emails and spreadsheets, so blockers are discovered after they already moved the close date.
With /close-management
Run /close-management to produce a day-by-day close plan with owners, dependencies, blockers, and daily status review.
1 Share period and target close date2 List owners, systems, and known blockers3 Generate task sequence and critical path4 Run daily close standups from the dashboard
Who this is for
What it does
Month-end close planning
Create the calendar, task owners, and daily status view before close starts.
Blocked close recovery
Identify which late task blocks reconciliations, statements, review, or period lock.
Close process improvement
Find bottlenecks and decide what to automate or pre-close next month.
How it works
1
Collect the reporting period, target close date, major systems, owners, and known blockers.
2
Sequence AP, AR, payroll, treasury, accruals, reconciliations, tax, statements, and review tasks.
3
Build a dependency map and identify the critical path that controls the minimum close duration.
4
Produce a status dashboard for daily close standups.
5
List metrics and retrospective questions to improve the next close.
Input options
Close period
The month, quarter, or fiscal period being closed.
Example
Close context
Target: 5-business-day June close Known blockers: - AP accruals often arrive late - Bank statement available T+1 noon - Revenue recognition depends on billing export - Controller wants daily 15-minute close standup Need: close calendar, dependency map, status dashboard, and escalation points.
Close management plan
Typical 5-day close calendar
| Day | Key Activities | Responsible | |---|---|---| | T+1 | Cash entries, payroll, AP accruals, depreciation, prepaid amortization, intercompany posting | Staff accounting, payroll, treasury | | T+2 | Revenue recognition, remaining accruals, AR/AP reconciliations, FX revaluation | Revenue accounting, AP/AR | | T+3 | Balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany reconciliation, eliminations, preliminary trial balance | Accounting team | | T+4 | Tax provision, equity roll-forward, draft financial statements, flux analysis, management review | Tax, controller, FP&A | | T+5 | Final adjustments, hard close, period lock, reporting package, retrospective | Controller, FP&A |
Dependency map and critical path
```text Cash/AP/AR entries -> subledger reconciliations -> balance sheet reconciliations -> tax provision and draft financials -> management review -> hard close and period lock ``` Critical path risk: revenue recognition cannot start until the billing export is finalized. If billing is late by one day, draft statements move from T+4 to T+5.
Close status dashboard
| Task | Owner | Deadline | Status | Blocker | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | AP accruals | AP Lead | T+1 17:00 | At Risk | department spend confirmations | Escalate missing owners by noon | | Bank reconciliation | Treasury | T+2 12:00 | Not Started | bank statement at T+1 noon | Can start preliminary rec now | | Revenue recognition | Rev Accounting | T+2 17:00 | Blocked | billing export | Billing owner confirmed T+1 15:00 | | Draft statements | Controller | T+4 12:00 | Not Started | all recs and tax provision | Keep on critical path watch |
Daily close standup
1. Review open tasks by status: blocked, at risk, in progress, complete. 2. Confirm blockers that affect the critical path. 3. Reassign ownership or escalate late dependencies. 4. Update expected hard-close date if T+4 draft statements slip.
Close metrics
| Metric | Definition | Target | |---|---|---| | Close duration | Business days from period end to hard close | 5 days or less | | Late tasks | Tasks completed after deadline | Zero | | Adjusting entries after soft close | Entries posted during management review | Reduce over time | | Reconciliation exceptions | Items requiring investigation | Reduce over time |
Metrics this improves
Unreconciled Difference
Keeps unresolved close differences visible until reviewed.
FinanceClose Timeliness
Makes close deadlines, blockers, and daily progress visible.
FinanceReconciliation Aging
Surfaces reconciliations that can delay soft close or hard close.
FinanceWorks with
Want to use Close Management?
Choose how to get started.
Run in Claude Code
Free. Open source.
Install and run this skill locally on your computer.
1
Install Claude Code
Open a terminal on your computer and paste this command:
2
Install the skill
This downloads the skill with all its files to your computer:
Add -g at the end to make it available in all your projects.
3
View source on GitHub Run it
Start Claude Code, then type the command:
then
Close Management
Important: This skill assists with close management workflows but does not provide financial advice. All close activities should be reviewed by qualified financial professionals.
Month-end close checklist, task sequencing and dependencies, status tracking, and common close activities organized by day.
Month-End Close Checklist
Pre-Close (Last 2-3 Business Days of the Month)
- Send close calendar and deadline reminders to all contributors
- Confirm cut-off procedures with AP, AR, payroll, and treasury
- Verify all sub-systems are processing normally (ERP, payroll, banking)
- Complete preliminary bank reconciliation (all but last-day activity)
- Review open purchase orders for potential accrual needs
- Confirm payroll processing schedule aligns with close timeline
- Collect information for any known unusual transactions
Close Day 1 (T+1: First Business Day After Month-End)
- Confirm all sub-ledger modules have completed period-end processing
- Run AP accruals for goods/services received but not invoiced
- Post payroll entries and payroll accrual (if pay period straddles month-end)
- Record cash receipts and disbursements through month-end
- Post intercompany transactions and confirm with counterparties
- Complete bank reconciliation with final bank statement
- Run fixed asset depreciation
- Post prepaid expense amortization
Close Day 2 (T+2)
- Complete revenue recognition entries and deferred revenue adjustments
- Post all remaining accrual journal entries
- Complete AR subledger reconciliation
- Complete AP subledger reconciliation
- Record inventory adjustments (if applicable)
- Post FX revaluation entries for foreign currency balances
- Begin balance sheet account reconciliations
Close Day 3 (T+3)
- Complete all balance sheet reconciliations
- Post any adjusting journal entries identified during reconciliation
- Complete intercompany reconciliation and elimination entries
- Run preliminary trial balance and income statement
- Perform preliminary flux analysis on income statement
- Investigate and resolve material variances
Close Day 4 (T+4)
- Post tax provision entries (income tax, sales tax, property tax)
- Complete equity roll-forward (stock compensation, treasury stock)
- Finalize all journal entries — soft close
- Generate draft financial statements (P&L, BS, CF)
- Perform detailed flux analysis and prepare variance explanations
- Management review of financial statements and key metrics
Close Day 5 (T+5)
- Post any final adjustments from management review
- Finalize financial statements — hard close
- Lock the period in the ERP/GL system
- Distribute financial reporting package to stakeholders
- Update forecasts/projections based on actual results
- Conduct close retrospective — identify process improvements
Task Sequencing and Dependencies
Dependency Map
Tasks are organized by what must complete before the next task can begin:
LEVEL 1 (No dependencies — can start immediately at T+1):
├── Cash receipts/disbursements recording
├── Bank statement retrieval
├── Payroll processing/accrual
├── Fixed asset depreciation run
├── Prepaid amortization
├── AP accrual preparation
└── Intercompany transaction posting
LEVEL 2 (Depends on Level 1 completion):
├── Bank reconciliation (needs: cash entries + bank statement)
├── Revenue recognition (needs: billing/delivery data finalized)
├── AR subledger reconciliation (needs: all revenue/cash entries)
├── AP subledger reconciliation (needs: all AP entries/accruals)
├── FX revaluation (needs: all foreign currency entries posted)
└── Remaining accrual JEs (needs: review of all source data)
LEVEL 3 (Depends on Level 2 completion):
├── All balance sheet reconciliations (needs: all JEs posted)
├── Intercompany reconciliation (needs: both sides posted)
├── Adjusting entries from reconciliations
└── Preliminary trial balance
LEVEL 4 (Depends on Level 3 completion):
├── Tax provision (needs: pre-tax income finalized)
├── Equity roll-forward
├── Consolidation and eliminations
├── Draft financial statements
└── Preliminary flux analysis
LEVEL 5 (Depends on Level 4 completion):
├── Management review
├── Final adjustments
├── Hard close / period lock
├── Financial reporting package
└── Forecast updates
Critical Path
The critical path determines the minimum close duration. Typical critical path:
Cash/AP/AR entries → Subledger reconciliations → Balance sheet recs →
Tax provision → Draft financials → Management review → Hard close
To shorten the close:
- Automate Level 1 entries (depreciation, prepaid amortization, standard accruals)
- Pre-reconcile accounts during the month (continuous reconciliation)
- Parallel-process independent reconciliations
- Set clear deadlines with consequences for late submissions
- Use standardized templates to reduce reconciliation prep time
Status Tracking and Reporting
Close Status Dashboard
Track each close task with the following attributes:
| Task | Owner | Deadline | Status | Blocker | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Task name] | [Person/role] | [Day T+N] | Not Started / In Progress / Complete / Blocked | [If blocked, what's blocking] | [Any notes] |
Status Definitions
- Not Started: Task has not yet begun (may be waiting on dependencies)
- In Progress: Task is actively being worked on
- Complete: Task is finished and has been reviewed/approved
- Blocked: Task cannot proceed due to a dependency, missing data, or issue
- At Risk: Task is in progress but may not meet its deadline
Daily Close Status Meeting (Recommended)
During the close period, hold a brief (15-minute) daily standup:
- Review status board: Walk through open tasks, flag any that are behind
- Identify blockers: Surface any issues preventing task completion
- Reassign or escalate: Adjust ownership or escalate blockers to resolve quickly
- Update timeline: If any tasks are at risk, assess impact on overall close timeline
Close Metrics to Track Over Time
| Metric | Definition | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Close duration | Business days from period end to hard close | Reduce over time |
| # of adjusting entries after soft close | Entries posted during management review | Minimize |
| # of late tasks | Tasks completed after their deadline | Zero |
| # of reconciliation exceptions | Reconciling items requiring investigation | Reduce over time |
| # of restatements / corrections | Errors found after close | Zero |
Common Close Activities by Day
Typical 5-Day Close Calendar
| Day | Key Activities | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| T+1 | Cash entries, payroll, AP accruals, depreciation, prepaid amortization, intercompany posting | Staff accountants, payroll |
| T+2 | Revenue recognition, remaining accruals, subledger reconciliations (AR, AP, FA), FX revaluation | Revenue accountant, AP/AR, treasury |
| T+3 | Balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany reconciliation, eliminations, preliminary trial balance, preliminary flux | Accounting team, consolidation |
| T+4 | Tax provision, equity roll-forward, draft financial statements, detailed flux analysis, management review | Tax, controller, FP&A |
| T+5 | Final adjustments, hard close, period lock, reporting package distribution, forecast update, retrospective | Controller, FP&A, finance leadership |
Accelerated Close (3-Day Target)
For organizations targeting a faster close:
| Day | Key Activities |
|---|---|
| T+1 | All JEs posted (automated + manual), all subledger reconciliations, bank reconciliation, intercompany reconciliation, preliminary trial balance |
| T+2 | All balance sheet reconciliations, tax provision, consolidation, draft financial statements, flux analysis, management review |
| T+3 | Final adjustments, hard close, reporting package, forecast update |
Prerequisites for a 3-day close:
- Automated recurring journal entries (depreciation, amortization, standard accruals)
- Continuous reconciliation during the month (not all at month-end)
- Automated intercompany elimination
- Pre-close activities completed before month-end (cut-off, accrual estimates)
- Empowered team with clear ownership and minimal handoffs
- Real-time or near-real-time sub-system integration
Close Process Improvement
Common Bottlenecks and Solutions
| Bottleneck | Root Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Late AP accruals | Waiting for department spend confirmation | Implement continuous accrual estimation; set cut-off deadlines |
| Manual journal entries | Recurring entries prepared manually each month | Automate standard recurring entries in the ERP |
| Slow reconciliations | Starting from scratch each month | Implement continuous/rolling reconciliation |
| Intercompany delays | Waiting for counterparty confirmation | Automate intercompany matching; set stricter deadlines |
| Management review changes | Large adjustments found during review | Improve preliminary review process; empower team to catch issues earlier |
| Missing supporting documents | Scrambling for documentation at close | Maintain documentation throughout the month |
Close Retrospective Questions
After each close, ask:
- What went well this close that we should continue?
- What took longer than expected and why?
- What blockers did we encounter and how can we prevent them?
- Were there any surprises in the financial results we should have caught earlier?
- What can we automate or streamline for next month?
Reference documents
name: close-management description: Manage the month-end close process with task sequencing, dependencies, and status tracking. Use when planning the close calendar, tracking close progress, identifying blockers, or sequencing close activities by day. user-invocable: false
Close Management
Important: This skill assists with close management workflows but does not provide financial advice. All close activities should be reviewed by qualified financial professionals.
Month-end close checklist, task sequencing and dependencies, status tracking, and common close activities organized by day.
Month-End Close Checklist
Pre-Close (Last 2-3 Business Days of the Month)
- Send close calendar and deadline reminders to all contributors
- Confirm cut-off procedures with AP, AR, payroll, and treasury
- Verify all sub-systems are processing normally (ERP, payroll, banking)
- Complete preliminary bank reconciliation (all but last-day activity)
- Review open purchase orders for potential accrual needs
- Confirm payroll processing schedule aligns with close timeline
- Collect information for any known unusual transactions
Close Day 1 (T+1: First Business Day After Month-End)
- Confirm all sub-ledger modules have completed period-end processing
- Run AP accruals for goods/services received but not invoiced
- Post payroll entries and payroll accrual (if pay period straddles month-end)
- Record cash receipts and disbursements through month-end
- Post intercompany transactions and confirm with counterparties
- Complete bank reconciliation with final bank statement
- Run fixed asset depreciation
- Post prepaid expense amortization
Close Day 2 (T+2)
- Complete revenue recognition entries and deferred revenue adjustments
- Post all remaining accrual journal entries
- Complete AR subledger reconciliation
- Complete AP subledger reconciliation
- Record inventory adjustments (if applicable)
- Post FX revaluation entries for foreign currency balances
- Begin balance sheet account reconciliations
Close Day 3 (T+3)
- Complete all balance sheet reconciliations
- Post any adjusting journal entries identified during reconciliation
- Complete intercompany reconciliation and elimination entries
- Run preliminary trial balance and income statement
- Perform preliminary flux analysis on income statement
- Investigate and resolve material variances
Close Day 4 (T+4)
- Post tax provision entries (income tax, sales tax, property tax)
- Complete equity roll-forward (stock compensation, treasury stock)
- Finalize all journal entries — soft close
- Generate draft financial statements (P&L, BS, CF)
- Perform detailed flux analysis and prepare variance explanations
- Management review of financial statements and key metrics
Close Day 5 (T+5)
- Post any final adjustments from management review
- Finalize financial statements — hard close
- Lock the period in the ERP/GL system
- Distribute financial reporting package to stakeholders
- Update forecasts/projections based on actual results
- Conduct close retrospective — identify process improvements
Task Sequencing and Dependencies
Dependency Map
Tasks are organized by what must complete before the next task can begin:
LEVEL 1 (No dependencies — can start immediately at T+1):
├── Cash receipts/disbursements recording
├── Bank statement retrieval
├── Payroll processing/accrual
├── Fixed asset depreciation run
├── Prepaid amortization
├── AP accrual preparation
└── Intercompany transaction posting
LEVEL 2 (Depends on Level 1 completion):
├── Bank reconciliation (needs: cash entries + bank statement)
├── Revenue recognition (needs: billing/delivery data finalized)
├── AR subledger reconciliation (needs: all revenue/cash entries)
├── AP subledger reconciliation (needs: all AP entries/accruals)
├── FX revaluation (needs: all foreign currency entries posted)
└── Remaining accrual JEs (needs: review of all source data)
LEVEL 3 (Depends on Level 2 completion):
├── All balance sheet reconciliations (needs: all JEs posted)
├── Intercompany reconciliation (needs: both sides posted)
├── Adjusting entries from reconciliations
└── Preliminary trial balance
LEVEL 4 (Depends on Level 3 completion):
├── Tax provision (needs: pre-tax income finalized)
├── Equity roll-forward
├── Consolidation and eliminations
├── Draft financial statements
└── Preliminary flux analysis
LEVEL 5 (Depends on Level 4 completion):
├── Management review
├── Final adjustments
├── Hard close / period lock
├── Financial reporting package
└── Forecast updates
Critical Path
The critical path determines the minimum close duration. Typical critical path:
Cash/AP/AR entries → Subledger reconciliations → Balance sheet recs →
Tax provision → Draft financials → Management review → Hard close
To shorten the close:
- Automate Level 1 entries (depreciation, prepaid amortization, standard accruals)
- Pre-reconcile accounts during the month (continuous reconciliation)
- Parallel-process independent reconciliations
- Set clear deadlines with consequences for late submissions
- Use standardized templates to reduce reconciliation prep time
Status Tracking and Reporting
Close Status Dashboard
Track each close task with the following attributes:
| Task | Owner | Deadline | Status | Blocker | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Task name] | [Person/role] | [Day T+N] | Not Started / In Progress / Complete / Blocked | [If blocked, what's blocking] | [Any notes] |
Status Definitions
- Not Started: Task has not yet begun (may be waiting on dependencies)
- In Progress: Task is actively being worked on
- Complete: Task is finished and has been reviewed/approved
- Blocked: Task cannot proceed due to a dependency, missing data, or issue
- At Risk: Task is in progress but may not meet its deadline
Daily Close Status Meeting (Recommended)
During the close period, hold a brief (15-minute) daily standup:
- Review status board: Walk through open tasks, flag any that are behind
- Identify blockers: Surface any issues preventing task completion
- Reassign or escalate: Adjust ownership or escalate blockers to resolve quickly
- Update timeline: If any tasks are at risk, assess impact on overall close timeline
Close Metrics to Track Over Time
| Metric | Definition | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Close duration | Business days from period end to hard close | Reduce over time |
| # of adjusting entries after soft close | Entries posted during management review | Minimize |
| # of late tasks | Tasks completed after their deadline | Zero |
| # of reconciliation exceptions | Reconciling items requiring investigation | Reduce over time |
| # of restatements / corrections | Errors found after close | Zero |
Common Close Activities by Day
Typical 5-Day Close Calendar
| Day | Key Activities | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| T+1 | Cash entries, payroll, AP accruals, depreciation, prepaid amortization, intercompany posting | Staff accountants, payroll |
| T+2 | Revenue recognition, remaining accruals, subledger reconciliations (AR, AP, FA), FX revaluation | Revenue accountant, AP/AR, treasury |
| T+3 | Balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany reconciliation, eliminations, preliminary trial balance, preliminary flux | Accounting team, consolidation |
| T+4 | Tax provision, equity roll-forward, draft financial statements, detailed flux analysis, management review | Tax, controller, FP&A |
| T+5 | Final adjustments, hard close, period lock, reporting package distribution, forecast update, retrospective | Controller, FP&A, finance leadership |
Accelerated Close (3-Day Target)
For organizations targeting a faster close:
| Day | Key Activities |
|---|---|
| T+1 | All JEs posted (automated + manual), all subledger reconciliations, bank reconciliation, intercompany reconciliation, preliminary trial balance |
| T+2 | All balance sheet reconciliations, tax provision, consolidation, draft financial statements, flux analysis, management review |
| T+3 | Final adjustments, hard close, reporting package, forecast update |
Prerequisites for a 3-day close:
- Automated recurring journal entries (depreciation, amortization, standard accruals)
- Continuous reconciliation during the month (not all at month-end)
- Automated intercompany elimination
- Pre-close activities completed before month-end (cut-off, accrual estimates)
- Empowered team with clear ownership and minimal handoffs
- Real-time or near-real-time sub-system integration
Close Process Improvement
Common Bottlenecks and Solutions
| Bottleneck | Root Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Late AP accruals | Waiting for department spend confirmation | Implement continuous accrual estimation; set cut-off deadlines |
| Manual journal entries | Recurring entries prepared manually each month | Automate standard recurring entries in the ERP |
| Slow reconciliations | Starting from scratch each month | Implement continuous/rolling reconciliation |
| Intercompany delays | Waiting for counterparty confirmation | Automate intercompany matching; set stricter deadlines |
| Management review changes | Large adjustments found during review | Improve preliminary review process; empower team to catch issues earlier |
| Missing supporting documents | Scrambling for documentation at close | Maintain documentation throughout the month |
Close Retrospective Questions
After each close, ask:
- What went well this close that we should continue?
- What took longer than expected and why?
- What blockers did we encounter and how can we prevent them?
- Were there any surprises in the financial results we should have caught earlier?
- What can we automate or streamline for next month?