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Year-end Cleanup (2025)
Rating: 4.4 out of 5(44 ratings)
298 students

Year-end Cleanup (2025)

10 steps for year-end bookkeeping to get ready for taxes: clean up QuickBooks, reconciliation, inventory, depreciation,
Last updated 2/2025
English
English [Auto],

What you'll learn

  • Prepare QuickBooks file for tax filing.
  • Reconcile bank accounts.
  • Spot data entry errors and fix them.
  • Adjust inventory.
  • Use reports to analyze the business.
  • Close the books to ensure accounting data matches tax returns.
  • Make a backup copy of the Quickbooks file.

Course content

1 section16 lectures1h 53m total length
  • Introduction4:16

    Master the year-end cleanup in QuickBooks Online with a live demonstration of data errors in AR, AP, undeposited funds, and the balance sheet, plus a ten-step cleanup for tax readiness.

  • Why do a Year-End Cleanup?6:30

    Discover why a year-end cleanup matters for taxes and growth, where you reconstruct the year in your books, make date-specific corrections, and uncover hidden profit with your accountant.

  • Use the Available QBOA Bookkeeping Tools15:36

    Explore the QuickBooks Online Accountant tools, including reports options and the client overview, to run year-end cleanup and identify issues like unreconciled, uncategorized, and undeposited funds.

  • Confirm AR17:45

    Learn a five-step AR cleanup: review accounts receivable and AR aging for open invoices and deposits, fix duplicates via undeposited funds, and handle bad debt with credits or credit memos.

  • Confirm AP3:40

    Learn to manage accounts payable by reconciling open bills with expenses, converting checks to bill payments, and using AP aging to ensure accurate cash flow.

  • Confirm Undeposited Funds9:32

    Learn to manage undeposited funds by identifying in-transit payments, removing duplicate revenue, and correcting deposits in the check register or via a profit and loss report and adjusting entries.

  • Reconcile Properly7:25

    Reconcile properly by performing monthly bank and credit card reconciliations in two stages: match the statement in QuickBooks and remove non-matching transactions, detecting missing or duplicate items to align balances.

  • Check All Liability Accounts8:48

    Reconcile all liability accounts at year-end—loans, payroll, sales tax, and escrow—and use end-of-year adjustments to ensure accurate December 31 balances.

  • Categorize Transactions Properly8:26

    Learn to categorize transactions accurately in QuickBooks online, separating personal expenses from business equity, correctly classifying meals, mileage, and income, and using the reclassify tool to keep native reports accurate.

  • Compare to Previous Years5:08

    Compare to previous years to verify year-over-year consistency in the profit and loss and balance sheet, spotting anomalies and tracking trends across multiple date ranges.

  • Adjust Inventory4:47

    Finalize the books by adjusting inventory and performing a physical count, trueing up cost of goods via perpetual or periodic methods in QuickBooks, including shrinkage and promotional item adjustments.

  • Depreciation and Amortization2:58

    Learn how depreciation and amortization entries spread fixed and intangible asset costs over time, revealing net book value, with options like straight line or double depreciation and automated schedules.

  • Reset Equity8:07

    Zero opening balance equity, then close owner contributions and distributions to retained earnings, reconcile, and journal year-end adjustments for a clean start on January 1.

  • Close Your Books1:19

    Close the books after taxes to keep QuickBooks online aligned with tax data and prevent changes; set December 31 as the year-end and lock with a password or warning.

  • Analyze Your Reports5:37

    Analyze reports focusing on the P&L and year-by-year balance sheet, using a percentage of income to track expenses and applying pareto insights to focus on the top revenue drivers.

  • Make a Backup4:02

    Back up critical files using QuickBooks Online Advanced backups or Export My Books for a QuickBooks desktop copy, then complete quizzes for CPE credit and review course evaluation.

Requirements

  • This course uses QuickBooks Online, but the procedures are similar for the desktop version of QuickBooks.

Description

Wave goodbye to that year-end stress and brace yourself for a tax season as smooth as a freshly brewed latte. If you're a business owner, accountant, or bookkeeper, you know that 'Year-End Cleanup' isn't just a catchy phrase—it's practical, hands-on training that helps you get your books in order and sets you up for a smoother tax season. Trust me, you'll thank yourself later.


Imagine submitting your financials to your accountant without the beads of sweat collecting on your forehead, or the nagging fear that you've misplaced a decimal or two. We don't just throw a checklist at you; we equip you with a toolkit of skills that are indispensable. From reclassifying those rogue expenses that have wandered into the wrong category to reconciling your bank accounts so accurately they'd make a Swiss watchmaker jealous—consider these challenges tackled.


Remember that tax penalties and discrepancies can do more than ruin your day; they can ruin your reputation. In this course, we'll dive into the intricacies of closing out owner equity so securely, you could call it a financial Fort Knox. No more sleepless nights worrying about the stock that magically disappeared from your inventory; we'll guide you through adjusting those year-end totals like a pro.


And it doesn't end there. Beyond just getting you through the tax season, this course sets you up for the year ahead. Analyze who’s been filling your coffers and what’s flying off your shelves. We help you dissect your Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet to not just understand your business but to strategize for future success. Want to know who still owes you money before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve? We’ve got you covered. Want to ensure you're not the one left owing? Even better.


One of the class highlights? You'll be customizing and memorizing reports like they're your new favorite playlist.


So, if you're ready to turn the annual dread of tax season into a celebration

of business acumen, you don't want to miss this class


Say yes to a year-end that rings in not just a new year but a new level of business prowess. Unlock a new era of financial mastery this tax season and turn the page to a stress-free tax season!



After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify incorrectly categorized transactions and the steps to correct them

  • Recall the steps to confirm that bank balances are accurate

  • Recall the tasks to close out owner equity

  • Identify the steps to adjust inventory totals for the year

  • Identify which Reports to run for business analysis and taxes

  • Recall the year-end closing actions to perform on your file

You’ll Learn About:

  • Steps to take at year end to make sure your books are right

  • Identifying incorrectly-categorized transactions

  • Using Reclassify to re-categorize expenses in bulk

  • Reconciling bank accounts correctly and using the reconciliation process to troubleshoot inaccurate transactions

  • Updating Inventory

  • Closing out Opening Balance Equity and Owner’s Equity

  • Creating Depreciation entries

  • Running your P&L and Balance Sheet for your tax preparer

  • Running sales analysis reports to prep for next year

  • Closing the books

  • Making backups

Who this course is for:

  • Business owners wanting to learn how to better manage their company's finances.