Week 4 of 12 · Build
Bank reconciliation & month-end
Milestone: Completed reconciliation. Format: Reconciliation lab + close checklist.
Persona side project — your client list
Follow up every roster name with no contact in seven days. Persona skill: reliability. If you said you would send a note, send it. Add one person who keeps books or owns a small service firm.
Learning objectives
- Reconcile a bank account to the statement, including outstanding checks and deposits in transit.
- Correct books for bank fees, NSF, and missing transactions without hiding errors.
- Run a month-end close checklist and know what “closed” means.
- Explain why reconciling is a control, not a chore.
Core instruction
The reconciliation question
Does the bank know about everything the books know, and do the books know about everything the bank processed? You will tick, match, and investigate—never force a plug to make it “balance.”
Month-end close (minimum)
- All bank and credit-card accounts reconciled.
- AR and AP reviewed; obvious errors fixed.
- Prepaid or unearned items noted if introduced by the instructor.
- Backup of the period’s files saved to your 04-Close folder.
- A short close memo: what was unusual, what is still open.
Corrections
Use reversing or adjusting entries as taught. Do not delete history to hide a mistake. Professionals leave an audit trail.
This week’s work
- Complete the assigned bank reconciliation to a $0 difference or a documented unresolved item under a stated threshold.
- Submit the close checklist with initials and date.
- Write three sentences on one error you found and how you fixed it.
How we know you are ready
Reconciliation is complete and supported. Unresolved items are listed, not buried. The close memo is honest.
Apply to a cohort Persona track
