Small Business
Bookkeeping Checklist
A quick monthly guide to help keep your books clean, organized, and less stressful
Keeping up with your bookkeeping does not have to be complicated. A few simple monthly habits can help you stay organized, avoid tax-time panic, and better understand how your
business is really doing.
1. Gather Your Documents
☐ Bank statements
☐ Credit card statements
☐ Loan or financing statements
☐ Sales reports from payment processors, POS systems, or online platforms
☐ Receipts for larger purchases
☐ Mileage logs, if applicable
☐ Payroll reports, if you have employees
2. Review Your Transactions
☐ Make sure all business income is recorded
☐ Categorize expenses correctly
☐ Separate personal and business expenses
☐ Review any uncategorized or “Ask My Accountant” transactions
☐ Check for duplicate entries
☐ Confirm transfers are not counted as income or expenses
3. Reconcile Your Accounts
☐ Reconcile each business checking account
☐ Reconcile each business savings account
☐ Reconcile each credit card account
☐ Investigate any differences or missing transactions
4. Check Your Reports
Review these reports monthly so you know where your business stands:
☐ Profit & Loss Report
Shows your income, expenses, and profit.
☐ Balance Sheet
Shows what your business owns, owes, and how much equity you have.
☐ Accounts Receivable Report
Shows who still owes you money.
☐ Accounts Payable Report
Shows what bills you still need to pay.
5. Watch for Red Flags
☐ Bank accounts are not reconciled
☐ Old unpaid invoices are piling up
☐ Expenses are sitting uncategorized
☐ Personal expenses are mixed with business expenses
☐ Reports do not seem accurate
☐ You are unsure whether your business is actually profitable
☐ You only look at your books around tax time
Simple Monthly Goal
1. How much money came in?
2. How much money went out?
3. Did the business make a profit?
If your bookkeeping feels behind, confusing, or stressful, you do not have to figure it out alone.