---
title: "Automating Month-End: Microsoft 365 + QBO"
url: "https://atkinscpafirm.com/blog/automating-month-end-microsoft-365-quickbooks"
description: "If you run a small to mid-size professional services firm on Microsoft 365 and QuickBooks Online, you already own most of what you need to streamline month-end."
datePublished: "2025-09-24"
author: "Hunter Atkins"
---

# Automating Month-End: Microsoft 365 + QBO

_2025-09-24 · 10 min read · by Hunter Atkins, CPA_

## Who This Is For

If you run a small to mid-size professional services firm on Microsoft 365 and QuickBooks Online (QBO), you already own most of what you need to streamline month-end. This post outlines a practical 12-step checklist that turns the close into a reliable, decision-ready rhythm. It sits inside Client Accounting Services (CAS). It is not tax, audit, or assurance work.

## The 12-Step Month-End Checklist

**Week 1 (Days 1–5 of the new month):**

**Step 1: Bank Feed Reconciliation**
Confirm all bank feeds are connected and current. Review and categorize any uncategorized transactions. This should take 30–45 minutes if your rules are set up correctly.

**Step 2: Credit Card Reconciliation**
Same process for credit cards. Match transactions to receipts. Flag any unusual items for review.

**Step 3: Accounts Receivable Review**
Pull the AR aging report. Follow up on any invoices over 30 days. Update collection notes.

**Step 4: Accounts Payable Review**
Review open bills. Confirm any bills due in the next 30 days are scheduled for payment.

**Step 5: Payroll Reconciliation**
Confirm payroll entries match the payroll register. Verify payroll tax liabilities are recorded correctly.

**Step 6: Recurring Entry Review**
Confirm all recurring journal entries have posted (depreciation, prepaid amortization, accruals).

**Week 2 (Days 6–10):**

**Step 7: Balance Sheet Review**
Review all balance sheet accounts. Confirm cash matches bank statements. Review any unusual balances.

**Step 8: P&L Review**
Compare current month P&L to prior month and prior year. Flag any significant variances for explanation.

**Step 9: Intercompany Reconciliation (if applicable)**
If you have multiple entities, confirm intercompany balances are in agreement.

**Step 10: Adjusting Journal Entries**
Post any adjusting entries identified during the review process.

**Step 11: Financial Package Preparation**
Compile the monthly financial package: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and any KPI dashboards.

**Step 12: Management Review**
Walk through the financial package with the business owner or management team. Discuss variances, trends, and action items.

## How Microsoft 365 Accelerates This Process

**Power Query:** Automates the data import from QBO into Excel. Instead of manually exporting and reformatting reports, Power Query connects directly to your data source and refreshes with one click.

**Power Automate:** Automates the workflow — sending reminders, routing approvals, and notifying the team when steps are complete.

**SharePoint:** Centralizes document storage so receipts, bank statements, and supporting documents are organized and accessible.

**Teams:** Keeps all communication in one place. No more hunting through email for approval threads.

## The Result

With this system in place, a typical month-end close takes days instead of weeks. The automation handles the repetitive work, and the review process focuses on exceptions and analysis rather than data entry.

That's the difference between a close that's a burden and a close that's a competitive advantage.