--- title: How to Be Proactive With Your Month-End Close description: Without a structured process, month-end close can be a nightmare. Follow these five tips to minimize the days to close and to up your efficiency. image: https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/month-end-close.svg --- [tel:1-800-601-0230](tel:1-800-601-0230) 800-601-0230 - Features - Solutions - Developers - [Pricing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/pricing.html) - Resources [See a Demo](https://www2.payjunction.com/tour-payjunction) Features - EXPLORE PRODUCTS [No-code Payments Integration®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/no-code-payments-integration.html) [ZeroTouch Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-terminal.html) [Portable Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/portable-credit-card-reader-terminal.html) - ACCEPT PAYMENTS [Invoices](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/electronic-invoices.html) [ACH Electronic Checks](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ach-payments.html) [SmartSurcharge®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-surcharge.html) [Cards on File](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/store-credit-card-info.html) [Rapid Refunds](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/credit-card-refund.html) [Recurring Billing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/recurring-payments.html) [Ecommerce](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ecommerce-merchant-services.html) [Mobile App](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/payjunction/id1324839420?ls=1&mt=8) - EXPLORE CAPABILITIES [Overview](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-processing-solutions.html) [Integration Marketplace](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Remote Signature](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/signature-capture.html) [Multi-Location](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/enterprise-payments.html) [Sales Reports](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/sales-reports.html) [Search and Export](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/transaction-history-search.html) [Customization](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/custom-payment-software.html) Solutions - [Veterinary Streamline payment workflows and get paid faster with up-front deposits and payment schedules for high-cost procedures. Get time back and spend it with furry patients.](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-veterinarians) - [Dental Simplify patient payments with multiple means of collection at your dental practice. Meet patient expectations and elevate the payment experience.](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-dentists) - [Auto Dealer Manage dealership payments by department, brand and location. Get automated reports for simplified end-of-day close and save on processing fees.](https://www2.payjunction.com/automotive-merchant-services) Developers - [API Documentation See how to embed omnichannel payment features into your software, using your choice of our intuitive integration methods.](https://developer.payjunction.com/) - [Developer Experience Explore the developer journey and learn how our full-service partnership model helps you maximize merchant payment adoption rates.](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-api.html) - [No-code Payments Integration® Rapidly integrate payment acceptance features into any SaaS application in minutes using our easy-to-use Chrome browser extension.](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/no-code-payments-integration.html) - [Integration Marketplace Check out our growing marketplace of integrated solution partners that streamline payment acceptance and help businesses automate and scale.](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Pricing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/pricing.html) Resources - [About Us Learn how our people-first culture at PayJunction helps us earn widespread recognition and awards.](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/about.html) - [Careers Join us in our pursuit to deliver exceptional experiences to customers and partners.](https://www2.payjunction.com/careers) - [Support Get helpful information about how to use features, troubleshoot problems and contact us.](https://support.payjunction.com/) - [Blog Gain useful insights into payment industry trends and PayJunction solutions.](https://blog.payjunction.com/) - [Guides Up your payment processing knowledge with our in-depth eBooks and White Papers.](https://guides.payjunction.com/) - [Tutorials Read articles and watch videos about how to use valuable features on the PayJunction platform.](https://blog.payjunction.com/topic/pj-university) # How to Be Proactive With Your Month-End Close ![How to Be Proactive With Your Month-End Close](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/month-end-close.svg) [![Picture of Ursula Librizzi](https://blog.payjunction.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Ursula_Librizzi.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=Ursula_Librizzi.jpg) Ursula Librizzi](https://blog.payjunction.com/author/ursula-librizzi) 11/14/2017 Whether it’s a small, mom-and-pop shop or a Fortune 500 company, every business should have a month-end process in place. But processes, however well intended, are only as good as the procedures that support it. Without structure, your month-end close can be a nightmare. Not to mention, you probably face pressure to close faster. So how do you do that? Follow these five tips to make your month-end close a smooth, successful and timely routine. ## Payment Processing Demo Schedule 15 minutes with a payments expert Get a customized PayJunction product walk-through Understand requirements and pricing Determine your SAVINGS! GET DEMO NOW ## 5 Month-End Close Tips 1. **Get expectations from the executives.** Procedures can vary greatly from company to company. Get the inside scoop from your boss to ensure that you put processes in place to meet his or her expectations. It’s ideal to get this information on day one, but it’s never too late to ask. Not only will it make you more efficient in meeting your goals but will also show your boss how committed you are to the job. > Engaging the finance team with the why behind the close process will not only motivate them to hit the deadline, but it will also better equip them to make meaningful contributions to the analysis. Dave Robinson Managing Partner at [Driven Insights](https://www.driveninsights.com/) 2. **Create a month-end checklist.** Laying out all the necessary tasks needed to complete the month-end close will ensure it’s a systematic process. This ensures that no step is skipped, and helps surface and resolve any roadblocks keeping you from meeting your goals. 3. **Set a timeline and stick to the deadline.** Take the tasks from the checklist and map out a timeline of what needs to be completed when. The timeline should include deadlines for both you and other team members who contribute data to month end. > I recommend completing your month-end during the first week of the following month. Tackle it as soon as the official bank statement is released … Thomas J. Williams Enrolled Agent at [Your Small Biz Accountant, LLC](http://taxexperts.naea.org/listing/thomas-williams-5628cc479e62c.html) 4. **Be aware of technology that speeds up the close process.** The days of paper trails and manual tallying are over. There is a variety of technology available to streamline and automate the many tasks needed to get closer to completing the month-end close. Making changes to automate month-end tasks such as bank account reconciliation or recurring calculations saves time and minimizes human error. > Instead of trying to clean up a month's worth of accounting at a time, we get into the accounts regularly and reconcile the bank balance with the balance shown in the software. Then, at month end, there's nothing to do but the monthly bank reconciliations and review of the financial statements. Courtney Barbee Co-owner/COO of [The Bookkeeper](http://thebookkeepernc.com/) Using a technology that offers [deposit reports](https://blog.payjunction.com/bank-reconciliation-streamlined/), for example, can allow you to reconcile batch and bank deposits daily, so by the time the month end comes around, you’re already steps ahead of your to-do list. 5. **Gamify it.** We know completing the month-end close isn’t the most exciting work (just ask our accounting manager), but [gamification can drive workplace performance](https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2017/02/21/how-gamification-can-drive-workplace-performance/&refURL=&referrer=#516ffef77f8e). Gamifying the close will make what was once a boring task a little more exciting. > What generated the best result was \[a competition\] during the last three business days of the month … to see who sent their closing in time. This month-end strategy helped us improve our productivity … and is the best innovation we have implemented to keep everything up-to-date. Cristian Rennella CEO and Cofounder of [elMejorTrato.com](https://www.elmejortrato.com.ar/) This is particularly useful when you have a number of contributing team members to month end. Are you responsible for managers reporting the month-end data across [multiple locations](https://blog.payjunction.com/manage-multiple-locations/)? Put a reward in place for the first manager to submit his data by the deadline. If you’re worried gamification may compromise the work your team puts in, don’t forget the handy checklist we mentioned. Stick to it and your team won’t miss a single step while competing. ## Learn how a dealership used new technology to streamline. [![READ ON](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/635739/babc56fe-0d82-4196-8800-de2182bafa38.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/635739/babc56fe-0d82-4196-8800-de2182bafa38) Implement these tips and let us know how it improves your month end. We’d love to hear from you! [Auto Dealership](https://blog.payjunction.com/topic/auto-dealership) [Business Tips](https://blog.payjunction.com/topic/business-tips) --- ##### [![How to Accept Credit Card Payments Online](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/online-store-3d-cart.svg) How to Accept Credit Card Payments Online](https://blog.payjunction.com/online-store-3d-cart) ##### [![Foodeaze and PayJunction Offer Online Payment Processing for New York Restaurants](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/foodeaze-payjunction-integration.svg) Foodeaze and PayJunction Offer Online Payment Processing for New York Restaurants](https://blog.payjunction.com/foodeaze-payjunction-integration) ###### About Author ![Picture of Ursula Librizzi](https://blog.payjunction.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Ursula_Librizzi.jpg?width=200&height=200&name=Ursula_Librizzi.jpg) ### Ursula Librizzi Ursula is the sales and marketing operations manager for PayJunction. She oversees daily marketing tasks and liaises between the sales and marketing departments. ###### Related Posts ## [![EMV Chip Card Readers: A Complete Guide](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/emv-chip-readers.svg) EMV Chip Card Readers: A Complete Guide Go ahead, open your wallet. Chances are that your credit and debit cards feature a square “chip” on the front that gets inserted into an EMV Card Reader to make a payment. It may also have a symbol that resembles a “signal” that is “tapped” on an EMV Card Reader to make a payment. And it likely still has a magnetic strip on the back that is swiped through a payment terminal that is not equipped to read EMV chip cards.](https://blog.payjunction.com/emv-chip-readers) ## [![Survey Says: Veterinary Practices Save Time and Money with Integrated Payments](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/HERO%20IMAGES/ezyvet-time-savings.svg) Survey Says: Veterinary Practices Save Time and Money with Integrated Payments Running a veterinary practice is stressful: no two days are the same. The more that office staff can do to streamline operations, the more time is available to focus on the medical and emotional needs of animals and their families.](https://blog.payjunction.com/ezyvet-time-savings) ## [![Why Tokenization Is Better Than Point to Point Encryption](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/point-to-point-encryption-cloud.svg) Why Tokenization Is Better Than Point to Point Encryption Whether you’re a developer seeking an integrated payment solution or a business owner searching for a credit card processing partner, the security of cardholder data should be at the top of your checklist. When processing and storing credit card data via a terminal, the payment processing security standard can vary.](https://blog.payjunction.com/point-to-point-encryption-cloud) ## Meet a Payment System You’ll Love - ###### FEATURES [No-code Payments Integration®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/no-code-payments-integration.html) [ZeroTouch Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-terminal.html) [Portable Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/portable-credit-card-reader-terminal.html) [Invoices](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/electronic-invoices.html) [ACH](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ach-payments.html) [SmartSurcharge®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-surcharge.html) [Cards on File](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/store-credit-card-info.html) [Recurring Billing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/recurring-payments.html) - [Ecommerce](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ecommerce-merchant-services.html) [Customization](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/custom-payment-software.html) [Remote Signatures](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/signature-capture.html) [Rapid Refunds](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/credit-card-refund.html) [Multi-Location](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/enterprise-payments.html) [Sales Reports](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/sales-reports.html) [Search and Export](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/transaction-history-search.html) [Mobile App](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/payjunction/id1324839420?ls=1&mt=8) - ###### BUSINESS SOLUTIONS [Auto Dealers](https://www2.payjunction.com/automotive-merchant-services) [Veterinary](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-veterinarians) [Dentistry](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-dentists) - ###### RESOURCES [Product Overview](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-processing-solutions.html) [Integrations](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Blog](https://blog.payjunction.com/) [Guides](https://guides.payjunction.com/) [Support](https://support.payjunction.com/) [Service Status](https://status.payjunction.com/) [Tutorials](https://blog.payjunction.com/tag/pj-university/) [API](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-api.html) - [Trust Center](https://trust.payjunction.com/) [Request a Demo](https://www2.payjunction.com/payjunction-demo) [Pricing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/pricing.html) [About Us](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/about.html) [Careers *HIRING*](https://www2.payjunction.com/careers) [Press](https://media.payjunction.com/) - ###### RESOURCES [Integrations](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Guides](https://guides.payjunction.com/) [Tutorials](https://blog.payjunction.com/tag/pj-university/) [API](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-api.html) [Request a Demo](https://www2.payjunction.com/payjunction-demo) [About Us](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/about.html) [Careers *HIRING*](https://www2.payjunction.com/careers) [Press](https://media.payjunction.com/) [Trust Center](https://trust.payjunction.com/) [Service Status](https://status.payjunction.com/) - ###### BUSINESS SOLUTIONS [Auto Dealers](https://www2.payjunction.com/automotive-merchant-services) [Veterinary](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-veterinarians) [Dentistry](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-dentists) ##### 800-601-0230 SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER  Become a better advocate for your business. Get Email Updates GO Thank you for subscribing! PayJunction is a Level 1 PCI Compliant Provider. PayJunction is a registered ISO of PNC Bank, N.A., Pittsburgh, PA. © 2026 PayJunction. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](https://support.payjunction.com/hc/en-us/articles/211053648) and [Terms of Use](https://support.payjunction.com/hc/en-us/articles/211053628). ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Ursula Librizzi" }, "dateModified" : "2023-03-10", "datePublished" : "2017-11-14", "description" : "Without a structured process, month-end close can be a nightmare. Follow these five tips to minimize the days to close and to up your efficiency.", "headline" : "How to Be Proactive With Your Month-End Close", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/635739/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/month-end-close.svg" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.payjunction.com/month-end-close", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/635739/logo-400px.png" }, "name" : "PayJunction" } } ```