Streamline your monthly financial processes with our comprehensive workflow template that covers data compilation, calculations, approvals, and distributions.
1
Compile all financial data
2
Calculate monthly incomes
3
Calculate monthly expenditures
4
Prepare trial balance
5
Calculate gross profit
6
Calculate net profit
7
Prepare income statement
8
Prepare balance sheet
9
Prepare cash flow statement
10
Check for any financial discrepancies
11
Resolve any discrepancies found
12
Review and amend the draft statements
13
Prepare final financial statements
14
Approval: Finance Director
15
Print and collate the financial statements
16
Archive the financial statements
17
Distribute the financial statements to relevant parties
18
Upload the financial statements to the company's system and website
19
Confirm receipt of the financial statements by all relevant parties
Compile all financial data
Gather all financial data from various sources such as bank statements, invoices, receipts, and financial software. This task is crucial as it provides the foundation for the entire financial statement preparation process. By compiling accurate and complete financial data, we ensure the accuracy and reliability of the final statements. What sources will you gather information from? What challenges might you encounter?
1
Bank statements
2
Invoices
3
Receipts
4
Financial software
5
Other
Calculate monthly incomes
Summarize and calculate all sources of income for the month. This includes revenue from sales, fees, investments, or any other sources of income for the period. Calculating monthly incomes accurately provides insights into the overall financial performance of the business. What are the various sources of income for the company?
Calculate monthly expenditures
Summarize and calculate all expenses incurred by the company during the month. This includes costs related to operations, salaries, utilities, supplies, and any other expenditures. Accurate calculation of monthly expenditures helps in understanding the financial health of the business and identifying areas for cost optimization. What are the different types of expenses the company incurs?
1
Operations
2
Salaries
3
Utilities
4
Supplies
5
Others
Prepare trial balance
Create a trial balance by listing all ledger accounts and their balances. This step helps in checking the accuracy of the financial data and ensures that debits equal credits. A balanced trial balance serves as the basis for further financial statement preparation. What ledger accounts will you include in the trial balance?
1
Cash
2
Accounts Receivable
3
Accounts Payable
4
Inventory
5
Retained Earnings
Calculate gross profit
Determine the gross profit by subtracting the cost of goods sold (COGS) from the total revenue. Gross profit represents the profitability of core business operations. Accurate calculation of gross profit helps in assessing operational efficiency and identifying areas for improvement. What is the total revenue for the period?
Calculate net profit
Calculate the net profit by subtracting all expenses, including COGS and operating expenses, from the total revenue. Net profit represents the overall profitability of the business. Accurate calculation of net profit helps in evaluating financial performance and making informed decisions. What are the major operating expenses incurred by the company?
1
Marketing
2
Rent
3
Utilities
4
Salaries
5
Taxes
Prepare income statement
Prepare an income statement by summarizing the revenues, expenses, and net profit for the period. The income statement provides an overview of the company's financial performance and its ability to generate profits. Accurate preparation of the income statement helps in assessing the company's financial health. What should be included in the income statement?
1
Revenue
2
Cost of Goods Sold
3
Operating Expenses
4
Net Profit
5
Taxes
Prepare balance sheet
Create a balance sheet by listing the company's assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity. The balance sheet provides insights into the company's financial position at a specific point in time. Accurate preparation of the balance sheet helps in assessing the company's solvency and liquidity. What assets and liabilities should be included in the balance sheet?
1
Cash
2
Accounts Receivable
3
Inventory
4
Property, Plant, and Equipment
5
Investments
1
Accounts Payable
2
Loans Payable
3
Accrued Expenses
4
Deferred Revenues
5
Long-Term Debt
Prepare cash flow statement
Create a cash flow statement by categorizing cash inflows and outflows into operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities. The cash flow statement provides insights into the company's cash generation, cash utilization, and financing activities. Accurate preparation of the cash flow statement helps in assessing the company's cash position and financial stability. What categories should cash inflows and outflows be classified into?
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Operating Activities
2
Investing Activities
3
Financing Activities
4
Other
Check for any financial discrepancies
Thoroughly review the financial statements to identify any discrepancies or errors. This step is crucial as it ensures the accuracy and integrity of the financial information presented. Detecting and resolving financial discrepancies promptly helps in maintaining the credibility of the financial statements. What are common areas where financial discrepancies may occur?
1
Mathematical errors
2
Data entry mistakes
3
Currency conversion errors
4
Double-counting of transactions
5
Undisclosed liabilities
Resolve any discrepancies found
Investigate and rectify any discrepancies or errors identified in the financial statements. This step ensures the accuracy and reliability of the final statements. Resolving discrepancies promptly helps in presenting a true and fair view of the company's financial position. How will you investigate and resolve any discrepancies?
Review and amend the draft statements
Review the draft financial statements to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with accounting standards. This step is crucial in presenting reliable and transparent financial information. Amending the statements as necessary helps in improving the quality and usefulness of the final financial statements. What aspects will you review in the draft statements?
1
Accuracy of figures
2
Consistency with accounting standards
3
Disclosure of significant events
4
Clarity of presentation
5
Compliance with regulatory requirements
Prepare final financial statements
Prepare the final versions of the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. These are the official financial statements that will be used for reporting and decision-making purposes. Accurate preparation of the final financial statements ensures compliance with accounting standards and provides a clear depiction of the company's financial performance. What additional information or disclosures should be included in the final statements?
Approval: Finance Director
Will be submitted for approval:
Prepare final financial statements
Will be submitted
Print and collate the financial statements
Print out the final financial statements and organize them in a presentable manner. This step ensures that the financial statements are well-structured and ready for distribution. Printing and collating the statements also allows for easy reference and archiving. How will you organize and collate the financial statements?
1
Arrange in chronological order
2
Separate by statement type
3
Number pages
4
Include table of contents
5
Bind or staple together
Archive the financial statements
Store the printed financial statements in a secure and organized manner for future reference. Archiving the statements ensures their availability for audits, legal requirements, and historical analysis. Proper archiving also helps in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of financial information. How will you securely store and label the archived financial statements?
Distribute the financial statements to relevant parties
Send the final financial statements to the relevant individuals or entities. Distributing the financial statements allows stakeholders to assess the company's financial performance and make informed decisions. Timely distribution ensures transparency and accountability. Who are the key recipients of the financial statements?
Upload the financial statements to the company's system and website
Upload the final financial statements to the company's internal system and website for easy access by employees and external parties. This step enhances transparency and enables stakeholders to retrieve the financial statements conveniently. How will you upload the financial statements to the system and website?
Confirm receipt of the financial statements by all relevant parties
Send confirmation emails or obtain acknowledgments from all relevant parties stating that they have received and reviewed the financial statements. This step ensures that the financial statements have been successfully delivered and accessed by the intended recipients. What is the preferred method of confirmation for each recipient?