Could you send your CPA a clean set of books today? That’s a good barometer of your company’s financial management system as you wind down the year.

Are there lots of loose ends in the books or can your company meet sales, payroll, and income tax deadlines without much fanfare? Have you reviewed a set of meaningful management reports that describe business performance through September 30th? Do you know at a glance whether you owe your banker or investors a set of reports? How do the last eight quarters’ earnings look – trending up, down, or treading water?

You’re in the home stretch heading toward the end of the year. Reflect on what you wanted from the year and where you’re likely to end up. Whether you care about earnings, cash position, market share, new roll-outs, or operational excellence, now’s the time to focus so this turns out to be a year you and your team are proud of.

P.S. for bookkeepers and accounting managers: A checklist of monthly close essentials.