Five signals your month-end close is about to slip
Late reconciliations and unexplained journals rarely appear overnight. These early signs give finance leads time to intervene.
Most slipped closes announce themselves days earlier. Watch for bank reconciliations still open after the agreed freeze date, suspense accounts with unexplained movement, and accrual listings that grow instead of settle.
Unposted intercompany invoices and late manual journals without dual review are the next signals. When two of these appear together, pull the close checklist forward rather than hoping day five will absorb the backlog.
A short mid-week status call — account owner, expected finish time, blocker — costs less than a restatement conversation after board papers circulate.
Talk through your next close if you want an independent pass before the pack leaves finance.