Most firms have a close checklist. Far fewer have a close timetable — a single schedule that says who does what, by when. That gap is the most common reason close dates slip.
The free month-end close checklist includes a timetable template you can copy per client.
Why a timetable beats a to-do list
A checklist is a list of tasks. A timetable adds the two things that make a close predictable: a working day for each task and a named owner. Unowned tasks are how close dates slip — everyone assumes someone else has it.
Building it: count back from the deadline
Set your real deadline as the final working day (often WD 5) and count back:
- WD-1 — Confirm scope; request outstanding records from the client.
- WD 1 — Lock prior period; set cut-off; reconcile bank.
- WD 2 — Reconcile control accounts; clear suspense.
- WD 3 — Intercompany; post accruals & prepayments.
- WD 4 — Variance review; investigate breaches; draft accounts.
- WD 5 — Reviewer sign-off; issue accounts; lock & file.
Assign a named owner to every row. Review the “done” column at a short daily stand-up during close week — that one habit catches slippage while there’s still time to fix it.
Where the timetable meets the exceptions
A timetable schedules the routine close. It doesn’t tell you what to do when a record is missing on WD 1 or a reconciliation won’t close on WD 2. That’s where the decision trees in the Month-End Close System come in — each scheduled task carries its own exception logic. And once imported into PathPilot, the timetable stops being a static copy-per-client document and becomes a live board where the partner sees every client’s close status at a glance.
For the full picture, start with the month-end close process guide.