The Ultimate Bookkeeping Cleanup Checklist
The same step-by-step checklist our team uses for every cleanup engagement. Stop guessing what needs to be fixed — follow a proven process.
What Is in the Checklist
This is not a generic template. It is the actual process our cleanup specialists follow when working with clients. Every section is organized in the order you should tackle it, with clear action items that leave nothing to chance.
Account Reconciliation
- Reconcile all bank accounts month-by-month
- Reconcile all credit card accounts
- Verify loan and line of credit balances
- Match cleared transactions against bank statements
- Investigate and resolve all discrepancies
Transaction Review & Categorization
- Clear all uncategorized transactions
- Review and correct miscategorized expenses
- Identify and remove duplicate transactions
- Separate personal from business transactions
- Verify vendor and payee assignments
Balance Sheet Cleanup
- Resolve Opening Balance Equity
- Clear stale Accounts Receivable
- Clear stale Accounts Payable
- Verify fixed asset records and depreciation
- Reconcile owner equity and draws
Payroll & Tax Compliance
- Verify payroll transactions and liabilities
- Confirm quarterly payroll tax filings
- Review 1099 contractor payments
- Check sales tax collection and remittance
- Ensure proper expense classification for deductions
Financial Statement Preparation
- Generate clean Profit & Loss statement
- Generate accurate Balance Sheet
- Review Cash Flow statement
- Create comparison reports (prior period)
- Package CPA-ready deliverables
Who This Checklist Is For
Download the Free Checklist
Enter your name and email to get instant access to the complete 25-item cleanup checklist as a printable PDF.
“This checklist helped me understand exactly what my bookkeeper should have been doing. I used it to audit their work and found three major issues.”
— Sarah M., E-commerce Business Owner
Prefer to Let a Professional Handle It?
The checklist is great for DIY cleanup, but if your file needs serious work, we are here. Book a free discovery call and let us scope the project for you.