Launch and run the close

Step by step

1. Prepare the scoped calendar Admin

   Admin and Controller / CFO agree the effective calendar, templates and role assignments for the entity. Close Manager verifies the ledger-period key and working dates. Validate the dependency graph before any task population is released. Preserve the configured holiday and timezone basis so the team can explain why a deadline falls on a particular day.

   • Validate the launch basis
   • Updates Close calendars, Closing task templates, Closing task dependencies

2. Launch the period checklist Close Manager

   Close Manager opens close periods and snapshots the template definitions, required signer capacities and actual assignments. Stable period, revision and template keys make a repeated launch safe. Reject a missing owner or an out-of-scope template before publishing an incomplete checklist. The period moves from not started to in progress when its assigned work is available.

   • Publish assigned close work
   • Updates Close periods, Closing tasks

3. Prepare the assigned work Accountant

   Accountant opens My Closing Tasks and prepares the supporting accounting work. Respect predecessor conditions before starting or completing dependent tasks. Record blockers with a reason and link the reconciliation, journal review or immutable evidence used. Submit the exact task revision for review; the owner cannot decide their own submitted work is independently complete.

   • Submit evidence for review
   • Updates Closing tasks, Task comments, Issues log

4. Review and resolve exceptions Senior Accountant

   Senior Accountant reviews assigned submitted work independently and records completion against its revision. Close Manager follows blockers and overdue tasks. A required skip needs a documented policy basis and the additional Controller / CFO authorization; it cannot be used to bypass a mandatory accounting control. Preserve the earlier evidence and decision when a correction requires another review.

   • Record independent task review
   • Updates Closing tasks, Issues log
   Approvalfor the assigned decision

5. Assess period readiness Close Manager

   Close Manager inspects the remaining reconciliations, journal reviews, variance explanations, control work and issues. Completion totals help navigate the population but do not replace its required decisions. Freeze the evidence manifest only after the current revision satisfies all prerequisites. Financial sign-off and actual ledger lock confirmation are the next process, with their own owners and outcomes.

   • Prepare the final review basis
   • Updates Close periods, Issues log

Admin

Maintain configuration and connector health. Administrative access does not bypass financial decisions.

Close Manager

Coordinate the close, resolve assignments and monitor readiness before requesting financial sign-off.

Senior Accountant

Prepare assigned reconciliations and independently review other assignments. Review journal entries within the effective threshold policy.