What Your Bookkeeper Needs From You Each Month

If you run a small business and have a bookkeeper, a few items from you each month decide whether your books close in days or drag on for weeks. This page is written for business owners, not accountants. Bookkeepers are welcome to forward it to clients as a plain explanation of what is needed and why.

The monthly list

Bank and credit card statements for every account used for the business, even the ones you rarely touch
Receipts or invoices for purchases your bookkeeper cannot identify from the bank line alone
Sales reports from your payment processors or point-of-sale system (Stripe, Square, PayPal, Shopify and similar)
Payroll reports, if payroll is run outside your bookkeeper's system
Loan statements and any new loan or lease paperwork
A short note on anything unusual: a big purchase, a new account, money moved between personal and business

Which format to send

PDF statements downloaded from your bank's website are best. Clear photos taken flat, in good light, with all four corners visible are fine for receipts. Screenshots of a banking app usually cut off the details your bookkeeper needs, so they tend to bounce back with a request for something better.

Stop chasing clients for documents by hand.

DocNag sends the secure upload link and the reminders for you. Free plan: 3 active requests, no card, no client accounts.

Try it free or see the 1-minute demo

When to send it

Aim for the first few business days after the month ends. Banks publish statements within a day or two, and your bookkeeper can only finish the month once the last item is in. One missing statement holds up the whole month, so a late item costs more than it seems.

What happens when documents are late

Reports arrive later, the work gets squeezed into a busier week, and some firms charge a late-document or rush fee. Late books also mean you find out about cash problems, unpaid invoices or tax bills later than you could have.

Make it a habit, not a chore

Set a recurring calendar reminder for the 2nd of each month
Keep one folder or phone album for receipts as you go instead of hunting at month end
Use the same upload link every month if your bookkeeper gives you one
If an item does not apply this month, say so instead of staying silent: it saves a reminder

If you are the bookkeeper

Forwarding this page with your own checklist attached sets expectations once, in friendly language. A tool that gives each client a private upload link and reminds them automatically takes the follow-up off your plate; that is what DocNag does, and it is free for up to 3 active requests.

Looking for the full close process? See the month-end close checklist with a free Excel template.

Frequently asked questions

What does my bookkeeper need from me each month?

Bank and credit card statements for every business account, receipts or invoices for purchases that are unclear from the bank line, sales reports from payment processors, payroll reports if payroll runs outside their system, loan paperwork, and a note on anything unusual.

What format should I send documents in?

PDF statements downloaded from your bank's website are best. Receipts can be clear photos taken flat with all four corners visible; screenshots of a banking app usually cut off needed details.

When should I send my documents?

Aim for the first few business days after the month ends. One missing statement holds up the whole month, so late items cost more than they seem.

Skip the copy-paste

Turn this into a request in two minutes. DocNag sends your client one private upload link, tracks what's missing and sends the reminders for you.

Use the "Month-end close" checklist in DocNag

Free plan, no card needed. Or see a live demo first.

Comparing tools? See the Financial Cents alternative and Content Snare alternative comparisons, or all comparisons.