The exact ten checks an experienced bookkeeper runs before closing a client's books — so you can catch problems before month-end instead of finding them in a year-end scramble. Print it, work top to bottom, tick each box.
WhyDuplicate transactions overstate expenses or income and throw off reconciliation and the P&L.
DoScan for the same account, amount, and description landing within a few days of each other; exclude or delete the duplicate before categorizing.
Where: Transactions → Bank transactions (Banking), and the Audit Log.
WhyTransactions parked in Uncategorized / Ask-My-Accountant mean the books are not finished and the reports are wrong.
DoReclassify each transaction to the correct account; the balance should be $0 at month-end.
Where: Reports → Account QuickReport on the Uncategorized / Ask My Accountant accounts.
WhyAccounts not reconciled recently can hide missing, duplicate, or fraudulent transactions.
DoReconcile each flagged account to the latest statement; aim for monthly reconciliation with a $0 difference.
Where: Settings (gear) → Reconcile; check the last reconciled date per bank/credit-card account.
WhyWhen the aging report does not match the A/R or A/P balance on the balance sheet, the subledger is broken — a classic audit red flag.
DoFind the difference (often a journal entry posted directly to A/R or A/P) and correct it.
Where: Compare A/R Aging Summary / A/P Aging Summary totals against the Balance Sheet control accounts.
WhyNegative balances in accounts that should be positive (a bank or asset account) usually signal missing or miscoded entries.
DoInvestigate each flagged account for missing deposits, double payments, or misclassifications.
Where: Reports → Balance Sheet; scan Bank, A/R, and other current/fixed assets.
WhyA lingering Undeposited Funds balance means payments were recorded but never deposited or matched, overstating that account.
DoMatch the undeposited payments to the actual bank deposits and clear the account.
Where: + New → Bank Deposit; review the “Select payments included” list and the Undeposited Funds register.
WhyUnapplied customer/vendor credits distort A/R and A/P and the aging reports.
DoApply open credits to the relevant invoices and bills.
Where: Reports → Open Invoices and Unpaid Bills; look for credits sitting against open balances.
WhyOpening Balance Equity should normally be $0 after setup; a balance means setup entries were never cleared.
DoReclassify the OBE balance to Retained Earnings or the correct equity/owner account.
Where: Reports → Balance Sheet; check the Opening Balance Equity line under Equity.
WhyJEs straight to a bank account bypass the bank feed and reconciliation and often signal workarounds or errors.
DoReview each JE; record bank activity through the bank feed and proper transactions where possible.
Where: Reports → Journal, filtered to the bank accounts; or the Audit Log.
WhyLong-overdue invoices may be uncollectible and overstate A/R and revenue quality.
DoReview each for collection, write-off, or correction.
Where: Reports → A/R Aging Detail; focus on the 90+ day column.
This is the manual routine. LedgerLens is a Chrome extension that runs all ten of these checks against the open QuickBooks Online file and turns the results into a branded, client-ready “Diagnostic Review & Findings” report you can hand to a client or bill as a paid diagnostic.
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