End-of-Month Closeout Checklist
A printable one-page checklist that walks you through seven monthly closeout steps every maker, baker, and creator should run before opening the next month: reconcile sales vs. deposits, check inventory, review expenses, calculate P&L, plan next month, reorder, and back up. Each step is broken into concrete sub-tasks with a one-line "why this matters" so the work doesn't feel like busywork. Designed to be printed once a month — month and year fields at the top, notes section at the bottom, no software required.
- Sales reconciliation: match per-channel totals (Etsy, Shopify, Square, Stripe, in-person) against bank deposits
- Inventory check: physical counts on finished goods and high-value raw materials, with a write-off step
- Expense review: download statements, categorize transactions, file cash receipts, back out personal-use items
- P&L calculation: revenue, COGS, operating expenses, gross and net profit — compared to last month
- Planning, reorder, and backup steps so the close ends with the next month already set up
- Notes section to capture what went sideways and what to remember next time
Or skip the spreadsheet entirely
A monthly close is a habit, not a heroic effort. Ardent Seller pre-builds the per-channel sales totals, COGS, P&L, and reorder list every step on this checklist asks you to compile — so the close goes from a half-day reconciliation to a 15-minute review.
Profit & Loss reports
Pull a month-over-month P&L with revenue, COGS, operating expenses, and net margin in one click — no spreadsheet math.
Guided stocktake
Turn the monthly count into a 15-minute workflow with variance flags and a defensible audit trail.
Reorder thresholds
Set per-material thresholds and get a ready-to-order list every close, so step 6 is a review instead of a hunt.