Month-end close checklist for Business Central

A month-end close in Business Central works best in the same order every time: get everything posted, reconcile the bank and the ledgers, adjust stock and currency, post accruals, check VAT or sales tax, review the balances, then lock the period.

Bee Solved, the AI Assistant for Business Central, helps you do it. For each of the 12 steps below you get the standard Business Central page, and the question to ask Bee Solved so it does the checking for you. It works in Claude, ChatGPT or Microsoft 365 Copilot, with the asking person’s own permissions, and links each answer to its records.

The 12 steps

1. Post outstanding documents and clear approvals

   In Business CentralCheck the sales and purchase document lists for anything dated in the month, and Requests to Approve for anything stuck.

   Ask Bee SolvedWhat is waiting for approval, and for how long?

   Oldest first, with who each one is waiting on. More: approvals waiting

2. Fix failed job queue entries

   In Business CentralOpen Job Queue Entries, filter on Status Error, and read the Job Queue Log Entries for the error.

   Ask Bee SolvedWhich job queue entries have failed or are on hold?

   It also lists documents whose background posting failed. More: failed job queue entries

3. Reconcile the bank

   In Business CentralOpen Bank Account Reconciliations, import the statement, use Match Automatically, then post.

   Ask Bee SolvedCheck this bank statement against our current account.

   Attach the statement: it lists what matched, what differs and what is missing. If your administrator has switched on AI changes, it can also prepare the reconciliation for a person to review and post. More: faster bank reconciliation

4. Apply customer receipts and review aged debt

   In Business CentralApply payments in the Cash Receipt Journal with Apply Entries, then run Aged Accounts Receivable.

   Ask Bee SolvedA customer says they paid invoice 1043. Was it applied?

   It shows what was applied to the invoice and any open payment that looks like it. More: which payment paid an invoice, overdue customers, applying a credit memo

5. Get supplier invoices in and check what you owe

   In Business CentralEnter the month’s supplier invoices from Purchase Invoices, then run Aged Accounts Payable.

   Ask Bee SolvedWhat did we owe suppliers at the end of the month, by age?

   More: what we owe suppliers

6. Invoice receipts and shipments, then adjust cost

   In Business CentralFind order lines received or shipped but not invoiced, run Adjust Cost – Item Entries, then Post Inventory Cost to G/L if it isn’t automatic.

   Ask Bee SolvedWhat was our stock value at month end, and how much is received or shipped but not invoiced?

   For one item, ask why its cost looks wrong: it checks whether cost adjustment has run. More: item cost looks wrong, slow-moving stock

7. Revalue foreign currency

   In Business CentralUpdate Currency Exchange Rates, then run Adjust Exchange Rates for the month end.

   Ask Bee SolvedWhat is our foreign currency exposure at today’s rates?

   By currency, with the adjustments already posted and an estimated gain or loss at today’s rate. More: foreign currency exposure

8. Post accruals and prepayments

   In Business CentralUse Recurring General Journals (with a reversing method for accruals) or a General Journal.

   Ask Bee SolvedShow last month’s entries on the accruals and prepayments accounts.

   If your administrator has switched on AI changes, it can add the journal lines for a person to check. More: why an entry posted to a G/L account

9. Check VAT or sales tax

   In Business CentralReview VAT Entries and preview the VAT Return or VAT Statement, or your country’s sales tax reports.

   Ask Bee SolvedCheck last quarter’s VAT entries before we file.

   It flags unusual codes, big swings and missing tax registration numbers. It is a check, not the return. More: checking VAT before filing

10. Review balances and the trial balance

    In Business CentralRun the Trial Balance report, and compare the customer, vendor and inventory control accounts with their ledgers.

    Ask Bee SolvedWhat were customer and supplier balances at the end of the month?

    Rebuilt from entries posted up to that date. More: balances as at a date

11. Lock the period

    In Business CentralSet Allow Posting From and Allow Posting To in General Ledger Setup, and for each user in User Setup.

    Ask Bee SolvedWhat are the allowed posting dates in General Ledger Setup and User Setup?

    The dates themselves are changed in Business Central. More: posting date not allowed

12. Tidy data issues

    In Business CentralNo single page: check the Customers, Vendors and Items lists by hand.

    Ask Bee SolvedFind duplicate customers and vendors, and customers with no payment terms.

    Each issue comes with examples and how to fix it. More: duplicate customers and vendors

Questions

Nothing changes in Business Central until a person confirms it.