February 15, 2025 · Catch-up · 5 min read

The bookkeeping clean-up checklist

Behind on the books? Preparation is the difference between a smooth catch-up and an expensive scavenger hunt. Use this list before you hire help.

Mindset first

Clean-up is common. You’re not the first owner to get six months behind while serving customers. Shame doesn’t reconcile a bank account—documents and a plan do.

1. Define the catch-up window

• Last month you trust (or last filed tax year start)
• First month that is messy or missing
• Today’s date / current period you want closed

Congruence prices catch-up roughly from $175 per month of backlog (volume-dependent). Knowing the range of months is step one to a fair quote.

2. List every money account

• Business checking and savings
• Business credit cards
• PayPal, Stripe, Square, Shopify payouts, etc.
• Loan and line-of-credit accounts
• Owner personal accounts used for business (be honest—this matters)

3. Gather statements and exports

• PDF bank and card statements for every month in the catch-up window
• CSV/OFX exports if available
• Processor payout reports (Stripe, Square, etc.)
• Loan amortization or monthly loan statements

4. Collect income and expense evidence

• Sales reports or invoice list from your system
• Major receipts for equipment, software, contractors
• Payroll reports (if any employees or contractors paid via payroll)
• Prior year tax return and depreciation schedules (if available)

5. Note the “mystery” items

Make a short list of transfers, owner draws, large Amazon charges, and anything you already know will be confusing. Ten minutes of notes from you can save hours of guesswork.

6. Decide your ongoing system

Catch-up without a monthly plan often repeats. Pair clean-up with a monthly package so the next twelve months don’t become another project.

How Congruence handles clean-ups

We scope months of backlog, quote clearly, reconcile accounts, categorize transactions, and hand you a clean starting point—then optionally move you onto Starter, Growth, or Scale for ongoing close.

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