Month-end close automation can help gather reports, investigate differences and organize review work. It still needs complete records and a person who decides whether the period is ready. A completed checklist is evidence of work performed, not proof that every balance is correct.
DeepLedger's Close Sheet puts comparative financial statements and the AI agent's findings in one review workspace. You can examine a statement line, inspect the related note and record your decision. Signing the Close Sheet closes the DeepLedger review record; it does not set the closing date or password in QuickBooks Online.
Start with the right company, period and evidence
Before asking an AI agent to prepare the close, confirm the QuickBooks company, the month and the accounting basis used for the statements. Gather the bank and credit card statements for that period, along with supporting records for balances that need explanation.
Check whether all relevant transactions have arrived and been recorded. A current bank connection alone does not prove that older activity is complete. A disconnected account, missing statement or partial report is a gap to resolve or explicitly document.
A useful starting request is:
Prepare the August 2026 close for the company I confirm. Use the agreed accounting basis and compare it with July. Identify missing records and explain differences with source references. Propose adjusting entries for review and report what remains unresolved.
If several companies share one connection, use the company-switching checks before proceeding.
Work through six areas of the close
DeepLedger organizes the workflow into these six areas. The records and judgments required depend on the business and its accounting policies.
| Area | Work to prepare | What you review |
|---|---|---|
| Reconciliation | Compare account activity and statement evidence | Missing items, outstanding transactions and unexplained differences |
| Payables and receivables | Review open bills, invoices and payments at period end | Whether balances and allocations make sense |
| Accruals and deferrals | Identify possible timing adjustments | Supporting evidence, period and treatment |
| Depreciation | Review the applicable asset schedule | Assumptions and proposed entries |
| Financial statements | Compare income statement and balance sheet lines | Unusual movements and supporting transactions |
| Trial balance | Check the final account balances | Whether approved changes appear in the final reports |
For bank reconciliation, use the actual statement. Intuit's reconciliation instructions describe matching transactions, resolving the difference and retaining the resulting reconciliation report. A note saying an account was checked does not replace that work.
Review findings on the Close Sheet
Open the relevant period in the portal's Close workspace. Read the comparative statements with their associated findings. A note should identify the affected line or check, explain the concern and point to evidence you can inspect.
For example, suppose rent expense is missing for August. The useful finding identifies the lease or bill, the relevant dates and the reason the AI agent thinks an adjustment may be needed. The absence of a payment by itself does not establish the correct accounting treatment.
For each actionable finding, fix the issue, hand it to the AI agent for further work, or record a justified waiver. Informational observations are separate from blocking findings. A handoff or waiver records a decision; it does not mean the underlying balance was corrected. Check carried-forward work before you sign.
Separate approval from posting
Proposed adjusting entries need a decision. Inspect the description, accounts, amount, date, source reference and any proposed reversal. Approve only the specific entry you intend to authorize, or reject it with the reason.
Approving a proposal in the Close Sheet records your decision. It is not proof that a journal entry has been posted in QuickBooks. If posting is required, verify the resulting QuickBooks transaction and rerun the affected reports before treating the adjustment as complete. Balanced debits and credits are necessary, but a balanced entry can still use the wrong account, amount or period.
The AI write-access guide explains how to check a proposed change and its recorded result.
Check readiness, then sign
The AI agent's completion operation requires all 16 DeepLedger checks to have a scored status and validates the reported totals. Scored checks can include warnings and action items. Completion moves the run to needs review, with a task for human sign-off; it does not sign the close.
Before signing, verify that:
- The report company, period and basis match the intended review.
- Source evidence is complete enough to support your conclusions.
- Each proposed entry has a decision, and required postings have been verified in QuickBooks.
- Actionable findings have been resolved or have an explicit handoff or justified waiver.
- Any carried-forward issue has an owner and a next step.
An authorized administrator signs in the portal. DeepLedger saves the signer, time, notes and a numbered record of decisions. The sign-off gate permits approved entries and documented handoffs or waivers, so your own verification remains essential. Keep the supporting statements, reconciliation evidence and final reports according to your recordkeeping needs; the Close Sheet is not a certification of compliance or a guarantee of an immutable archive.
Set the QuickBooks closing date separately
Once the books are ready, an authorized QuickBooks administrator can use Settings > Account and settings > Advanced > Accounting > Close the books. Set the closing date and choose the warning or password option appropriate to your process. Follow Intuit's current close-books instructions.
For later changes, Intuit documents an Exceptions to Closing Date report. Review adjustments made after sign-off and retain the explanation with your close evidence.
To understand how daily transaction review feeds this process, see how DeepLedger works. Product access and current terms are listed on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI agent close the books on its own?
An AI agent can prepare reports, investigate exceptions and propose adjustments. In DeepLedger, completing the preparation moves the run to needs review. An authorized administrator signs the Close Sheet, and QuickBooks closing-date settings are managed separately.
Does signing the Close Sheet lock QuickBooks?
No. Signing closes the DeepLedger review record and saves the sign-off details. Set and verify the closing date and warning or password settings separately in QuickBooks Online.
Does approving an adjusting entry post it?
Approval records the decision on a proposal. Verify the resulting QuickBooks transaction and updated reports separately before treating an approved adjustment as posted.
How long does an automated month-end close take?
There is no fixed duration. Missing statements, incomplete transaction history, unresolved balances and review decisions affect the time required. Measure preparation, correction and review time for your own company rather than assuming a universal speed improvement.
What should I keep after the close?
Keep the reviewed statements, reconciliation evidence, supporting records, adjustment references and sign-off decisions required by your recordkeeping process. A signed Close Sheet does not replace the underlying evidence.