Workflow Template
Month-End Close Workflow
Manages the monthly finance close process: the close owner opens the period, assigns reconciliation and journal entry tasks with due dates, resolves exceptions, and submits results for manager review and sign-off. On sign-off the close is marked complete and the finance team is notified; if issues are found, the close is returned to the owner for correction and resubmission.
Month-end close breaks down when reconciliation tasks, journal entries, and exceptions get tracked across emails and spreadsheets. This workflow gives the close owner one place to open the period, assign tasks with due dates, resolve exceptions, and route results to a manager for sign-off. Finance teams get a clear status at every stage and an automatic correction loop if the manager finds issues.
Business Outcomes
- Cut month-end close time by standardizing task assignment and deadlines
- Reduce reconciliation exceptions slipping through unresolved
- Give managers a clean review and sign-off step before close is marked complete
- Eliminate status-chasing emails with automatic finance team notifications
- Create a clear audit trail of who resolved what and when
Workflow Steps
Steps
- 1Open Close for Periodcreate record
Creates the month-end close record for the period.
- 2Set Status to Openupdate record
Sets the close status to Open.
- 3Assign Reconciliation Taskscreate task
Assigns account reconciliation tasks to the owner with a due date, and captures whether exceptions are found.
- 4Set Status to Reconciliation In Progressupdate record
Marks the close as being in the reconciliation stage.
- 5Route on Reconciliation Exceptions
Checks whether reconciliation exceptions need resolution before proceeding.
reconciliation_exceptions_found: "true"→Resolve Reconciliation ExceptionsDefault→Assign Journal Entry Tasks - 6Resolve Reconciliation Exceptionscreate task
Owner resolves any reconciliation exceptions found during the close.
- 7Set Status to Exceptions In Progressupdate record
Marks the close as being in the exception resolution stage.
- 8Assign Journal Entry Taskscreate task
Assigns month-end journal entry tasks to the owner with a due date.
- 9Set Status to Journals In Progressupdate record
Marks the close as being in the journal entry stage.
- 10Set Status to Under Manager Reviewupdate record
Marks the close as ready for manager review.
- 11Manager Review and Sign-Offrequest approvalrequires approval
Manager reviews reconciliations, resolved exceptions, and journal entries, then signs off or returns for correction.
- 12Route on Manager Review Outcome
Routes the workflow based on whether the manager signs off or finds issues.
approval_status: "approved"→Mark Close Completeapproval_status: "rejected"→Set Status to Returned for CorrectionDefault→End - 13Set Status to Returned for Correctionupdate record
Marks the close as returned to the owner for correction.
- 14Correct Issues Found in Reviewcreate task
Owner corrects the issues identified by the manager before resubmitting for sign-off.
- 15Resubmit for Manager Reviewrestart from step
Restarts the workflow from the manager review step after corrections are made.
- 16Mark Close Completeupdate record
Marks the month-end close as fully complete after manager sign-off.
- 17Notify Finance Teamsend email
Sends a notification to the finance team that the month-end close is complete.
Fields
- Close Period (e.g. 2025-01)*
- Close Owner Email*
- Close Owner Name*
- Reviewing Manager Email*
- Finance Team Notification Email*
- Reconciliation Tasks Due Date*
- +7 more fields
Forms
Open Month-End Close
7 fields
Data Views
Month-End Close Records
period, owner_name, manager_email, close_status +2 more
Dashboard Widgets
Recommended integrations
Setup the following integrations to extend workflow capability.
Send email in the workflow
AWS SES
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FAQs
How do I set up the Month-End Close Workflow for my finance team?
Publish the template inside assess.one and it's live immediately. You can assign the close owner and manager roles, set default due dates for reconciliation and journal entry tasks, and start running your next close right away. No installation or IT project needed.
How long does implementation take?
Publishing the template takes minutes. Once live, your close owner can open the period and start assigning tasks the same day — there's no multi-week rollout.
Who needs access to this workflow?
The close owner needs access to open periods, assign tasks, and resolve exceptions. Team members completing reconciliations or journal entries need access to their assigned tasks, and the reviewing manager needs access to the sign-off step. You control these roles and permissions directly in assess.one.
Can I customize the reconciliation and journal entry task list?
Yes. You can add, remove, or rename tasks, change due dates, and adjust who they're assigned to, all inside the platform. This lets the workflow match your chart of accounts and close checklist without any developer work.
What happens when a reconciliation exception is found?
The workflow routes the exception back for resolution and sets the status to 'Exceptions In Progress' so everyone can see the close isn't ready yet. Once resolved, the process continues on to journal entry tasks automatically.
What happens if the manager doesn't sign off on the close?
If the manager finds issues during review, the workflow routes the close back to the owner with a 'Returned for Correction' status. The owner fixes the issues and resubmits for review, and this loop repeats until sign-off is given.
How do notifications work when the close is complete?
Once the manager signs off, the workflow automatically marks the close complete and notifies the finance team. Notifications are configured inside assess.one, so you don't need separate email or Slack setup outside the platform.
Does this workflow support audit or compliance needs?
Every status change, task assignment, exception resolution, and sign-off is tracked as part of the workflow. This gives you a clear record of who did what and when, which is useful for internal controls and audit review.
Can I reuse this workflow every month without rebuilding it?
Yes. Each period, the close owner opens a new close using the same workflow structure. Task assignments, due dates, and routing logic stay consistent, so you're not rebuilding the process from scratch every month.
Ready to use this workflow?
Create a free account and customise this workflow for your business.