Year-End Bookkeeping Checklist
Work through five groups of steps, tick off what’s done, and print the result for your accountant.
Income
Expenses
Bank and cash
Assets and equipment
Paperwork
What this checklist is, and what it isn’t
This is not tax advice and not a complete list for any specific country’s bookkeeping requirements. It’s a general memory aid built to help a self-employed person gather their own records before handing them to an accountant, nothing more. Exactly which documents your accountant needs, and in what format, is a question for your accountant: this list is a reasonable starting point, not the final word.
If your expenses aren’t sorted into categories yet, start frombusiness expense categories before you check anything off here. Once every box is ticked, prepare accounts for your accountant turns the gathered records into a ready-to-send handover note.
Frequently asked questions
Is this checklist legally required in my country?
This is a general memory aid, not a specific requirement for any jurisdiction. Different countries have different bookkeeping rules. Check with your accountant or tax authority for what you must gather and in what form.
Can I add my own items to the checklist?
Yes. Each group has an “Add your own step” field. Add anything specific to your business that the default checklist does not cover.
Should I print the completed checklist and send it to my accountant?
That depends on what your accountant asks for. The checklist is a memory aid for you to gather everything. Some accountants want a handover note instead. Ask them what format they prefer.
What if I can’t find an item on the checklist?
Leave the checkbox unticked and use its note field to say why, for example “couldn’t find this” or “doesn’t apply to my business”. Your accountant will tell you if it is actually required or if a substitute will do. Not everything on the checklist applies to every business.
Do I need to check off every item before I hand things over?
No. Tick off what you have, leave the rest unticked, and use the note field on any item to explain why it’s missing or doesn’t apply to your business. Your accountant will work with what you can provide.
Related tools
Free download
Take a template with you
These tools run in your browser and keep nothing. If you want something that stays on your computer, there is a free invoice template for Excel: download it once, keep it forever.
Next step
Take it further, in a spreadsheet
This checklist is for the one week a year you gather everything up. The free invoice template is a fine place to start if your invoices aren’t organized yet, and the Small Business Finance Kit’s Invoice Log and Expenses tab keep income and spending gathered all year, so this checklist takes minutes at year end instead of a weekend.
FreeFree Invoice Template
One invoice, built and ready to send. For your very first bill.
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One workbook that logs expenses and totals the tax. For tracking spending on its own.
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Every invoice, expense, and profit number in one workbook. For running the whole business.
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All 6 workbooks together, at a lower combined price than buying each on its own. For the whole business, in one purchase.
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