Monthly Financial Records Checklist
2026-09-19
Every tax filing, every annual settlement of Corporate Income Tax and every answer given during an inspection depends on one thing: whether the documents for each month were collected while the month was still fresh. This checklist is for office administrators, finance staff and business owners who gather the records each month. Print it and work through it in the days after month-end: the reviewer works through the ten closing checks, and the final table is the pack to hand to whoever keeps the books. If a document cannot be obtained, write down why in the handover, and confirm any treatment question with your Junanda Consulting adviser.
Revenue Records
Revenue must be supported by a chain of documents, not by an invoice alone, because the chain proves a real transaction occurred.
| Records list |
Who provides |
When |
Common gaps |
| Sales contracts, order confirmations and approvals |
Sales |
During the month |
Contracts signed by an unauthorised person; orders changed by email |
| Delivery notes and goods issue documents |
Warehouse |
At dispatch |
No recipient confirmation on the delivery note |
| Customer acceptance or sign-off |
Customer |
At delivery |
Services recorded as complete without acceptance evidence |
| Sales invoices, including fully digitalised electronic invoices (FDEI) |
Finance |
On issue |
Issued later than the month of supply |
| Bank receipts and outstanding receivables |
Finance |
On receipt and monthly |
Collections received into a personal account; aged items with no owner |
Cost Records
Missing cost documents are the most common reason a month looks artificially profitable.
| Records list |
Who provides |
When |
Common gaps |
| Purchase contracts |
Procurement |
During the month |
Contracts in an affiliate's name |
| Goods receipt notes, inspection records and warehouse in and out records |
Warehouse |
On receipt and monthly |
Goods received without a signed note; movements on unsigned spreadsheets |
| Supplier invoices |
Procurement with Finance |
On receipt |
Obtained in the following quarter |
| Payment vouchers and supplier statements |
Finance |
On payment and monthly |
Differences with suppliers found at year-end |
| Import, customs duty and freight documents |
Procurement |
On clearance |
Duty and freight not included in cost of goods |
Expense Records
Each expense type has its own documentary requirement. The list below is the minimum we expect with a reimbursement.
| Expense type |
Supporting documents |
Who provides |
When |
Common gaps |
| Rent |
Lease, rent invoice, payment receipt |
Administrator |
Monthly |
Lease in a shareholder's name; no landlord invoicing details |
| Utilities and property management |
Utility or management invoice, meter readings |
Administrator |
Monthly |
Bills in the landlord's name, no recharging evidence |
| Travel |
Approval, tickets, accommodation invoices, itinerary |
Employee |
On return |
No traveller name or business purpose |
| Office supplies |
Purchase invoice, delivery note, approval |
Administrator |
On purchase |
Receipts only, no invoice |
| Marketing and promotion |
Contract, agency invoice, campaign brief, published sample |
Marketing |
On payment |
No evidence the service was delivered |
| Platform commissions |
Platform agreement, commission statement, settlement document |
Operations |
Monthly |
Commission deducted at source, no statement obtained |
| Courier and logistics |
Logistics contract, shipment list, invoice |
Operations |
Monthly |
No link from shipments to a customer or order |
Fund and Cash Records
Bank and cash records are the backbone of the reconciliation.
Personnel Records
| Records list |
Who provides |
When |
Common gaps |
| Payroll register with computations |
HR with Finance |
Before payday |
Adjustments recorded outside the register |
| Attendance and leave records |
HR |
Monthly |
Overtime paid without approval |
| Social insurance contribution records |
HR or Agency bookkeeping |
After payment |
Not reconciled to the payroll register |
| Housing provident fund contribution records |
HR or Agency bookkeeping |
After payment |
Employees added late, contributions backdated |
| Individual income tax filing record |
Agency bookkeeping |
After filing |
Filed before the final payroll was confirmed |
| Employment contracts, joining and leaving records |
HR |
On the event |
Contracts unsigned; removals from social insurance late |
Asset Records
| Records list |
Who provides |
When |
Common gaps |
| Fixed asset purchase invoices and acceptance records |
Procurement |
On acquisition |
Assets in use, never capitalised |
| Fixed asset register, tagging and assets under construction |
Finance |
On acquisition and monthly |
Register not updated when assets move; completed assets not transferred |
| Depreciation schedule |
Agency bookkeeping |
Monthly |
Wrong start month or asset class |
| Intangible assets, software and licences |
Administrator |
On acquisition |
Subscriptions treated as assets, not period costs |
| Leasehold improvements, disposals and scrapping |
Finance |
On completion or disposal |
Costs expensed without a decision; disposals unapproved |
Ten Checks Before Closing the Month
- Every bank account has a complete statement and reconciliation.
- Every outstanding reconciling item has an owner and a date.
- Issued sales invoices match revenue recognised.
- Supplier invoices are recorded in the month of supply.
- Payroll, social insurance and provident fund figures agree.
- The IIT filing agrees with the final payroll register.
- Every expense claim carries an invoice and an approval.
- The trial balance shows no unexpected suspense balances.
- Petty cash has been counted.
- The document pack has been delivered and acknowledged.
Minimum Document Pack for Your Agency Bookkeeping Firm
| Package |
Contents |
Format |
Delivery timing |
| Sales |
Invoice summary, contracts or orders, delivery and acceptance documents |
PDF plus Excel summary |
Agreed cut-off after month-end |
| Purchase and cost |
Supplier invoices, receipt notes, contracts, customs and freight documents |
PDF plus Excel summary |
Agreed cut-off after month-end |
| Expense |
Invoices by category, approvals, reimbursement forms |
PDF plus Excel summary |
Agreed cut-off after month-end |
| Bank and cash |
Statements, payment receipts, cash book, reconciliation notes |
PDF and Excel |
Agreed cut-off after month-end |
| Payroll |
Payroll register, attendance summary, contribution records, IIT filing record |
Excel plus PDF |
Once payroll is finalised |
| Asset and standing items |
Purchase invoices, asset register, opening balances, prior filings |
PDF plus Excel |
On the event or on first delivery |
File Naming and Archive Standards
Use one naming rule for every file.
- Sales invoices:
YYYYMM_SI_CUSTOMER_INVOICENO_SEQ.pdf
- Supplier invoices:
YYYYMM_PI_SUPPLIER_INVOICENO_SEQ.pdf
- Expense invoices:
YYYYMM_EX_EXPENSETYPE_VENDOR_SEQ.pdf
- Bank statements:
YYYYMM_BANK_BANK_ACCOUNTSUFFIX.pdf
- Payroll:
YYYYMM_HR_PAYROLL_VERSION.xlsx
- Contracts:
YYYYMM_CT_COUNTERPARTY_DESCRIPTION.pdf
- Monthly pack:
YYYYMM_PACK_PACKAGENAME.zip
Keep raw scans and working spreadsheets in separate folders, and log the delivery date of each monthly pack with the archive.
How to Use This Checklist
- Print the tables and assign one owner per category before month-end.
- Collect documents during the month, not only at the end of it.
- At month-end, work through the ten checks in order.
- Send the pack to your agency bookkeeping team and ask for written acknowledgement.
- File everything using the naming rule, and review recurring gaps with your Junanda Consulting adviser.
This article is general business information prepared by Junanda Consulting. Specific policy positions, tax rates, deadlines and procedural requirements are subject to the latest official versions issued by the competent authorities. To understand how these requirements apply to your business, please contact Junanda Consulting for further information and support.
