Common Bottlenecks and Solutions (+1)
Common Bottlenecks and Solutions
| Bottleneck | Root Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Late AP accruals | Waiting for department spend confirmation | Implement continuous accrual estimation; set cut-off deadlines |
| Manual journal entries | Recurring entries prepared manually each month | Automate standard recurring entries in the ERP |
| Slow reconciliations | Starting from scratch each month | Implement continuous/rolling reconciliation |
| Intercompany delays | Waiting for counterparty confirmation | Automate intercompany matching; set stricter deadlines |
| Management review changes | Large adjustments found during review | Improve preliminary review process; empower team to catch issues earlier |
| Missing supporting documents | Scrambling for documentation at close | Maintain documentation throughout the month |
Close Retrospective Questions
After each close, ask:
- What went well this close that we should continue?
- What took longer than expected and why?
- What blockers did we encounter and how can we prevent them?
- Were there any surprises in the financial results we should have caught earlier?
- What can we automate or streamline for next month?