End-of-Month Cleanup: QuickBooks Online Checklist for Contractors

Month-end doesn’t have to be a nightmare. For landscapers, plumbers, electricians, and other contractors using QuickBooks Online (with or without a field software sync), a 20-30 minute cleanup keeps your books accurate and ready for payroll, taxes, and profitability reports.
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1. Reconcile Your Bank and Credit Card Accounts

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• Go to Banking → Reconcile.
  
• Match deposits, withdrawals, and payments to invoices and bills.
  
• Fix unmatched transactions immediately.

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2. Review Synced Invoices and Payments

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• Check the field app invoices in QuickBooks Online.
  
• Look for duplicates, missing payments, or mismatched tax rates.
  
• Correct errors before they pile up.

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3. Verify Job Costs

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• Go to Projects → Project Profitability.
  
• Make sure all labor, materials, subcontractors, and equipment are recorded.
  
• Adjust misscategorized expenses so reports reflect true job profitability.
  
  

4. Check Payroll Entries

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• Confirm all crew hours, overtime, and benefits are entered correctly.
  
• Make sure payroll expenses are coded to the right jobs or categories.

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5. Review Accounts Receivable & Payable

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• Look at A/R Aging to follow up on unpaid invoices.
  
• Check A/P Aging to see bills that need payment to avoid late fees.

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6. Backup and Notes

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• Export key reports: bank reconciliations, project profitability, and A/R summary.
  

• Jot down notes on unusual transactions or discrepancies for future reference.

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Bottom line:

A monthly cleanup is like oiling the gears of your business. It only takes half an hour, but it keeps QuickBooks Online accurate, prevents errors, and gives you a clear view of your profits, cash flow, and tax obligations.

QuickBooks Online is excellent for accounting, but it’s not built to run a contracting business end-to-end. Adding MotionOps to your workflow gives you a field service management layer that QuickBooks simply doesn’t cover. And best of all, MotionOps integrates with QuickBooks Online, so you never have to worry about double-entry. Learn more about the sync here.

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