Shorten your monthly close

The problem

Books take weeks to close, so decisions get made on old numbers.

Steps

1. Write a close calendar with a due date for every task
2. Reconcile bank and card accounts weekly instead of monthly
3. Require vendor invoices by the third business day
4. Accrue known bills instead of waiting for the paperwork
5. Review a short variance list instead of every line
6. Hold a 20-minute close review and log what slowed it down