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Know What Moved Last Month, And Why
Your statements, the comparisons that matter for your business and a short written note on what changed, prepared after every close and walked through with you rather than dropped in an inbox.
A Monthly Financial Reporting Package For Michigan Businesses
Accounting software will happily export a dozen reports. Very few owners read them, and fewer still can tell from a standard P&L whether last month was good, bad or simply seasonal. The information is all there. It just hasn't been prepared for a person.
Our monthly financial reporting package is prepared, not exported. After the books are closed, we put together the statements, the comparisons that fit how your business actually works, and a short written note explaining what moved and why. It's part of our accounting and financial reporting services, and it turns a finished month into something you can act on.
Inside Each Month's Package
The exact contents are built around your business. A typical package includes:
- Profit and loss for the month and year to date
- Balance sheet as of month end
- Statement of cash flows showing where the cash actually went
- This month compared with the same month last year
- Year to date against your budget or targets, when you have them
- Gross margin by product line, department or location where the books support it
- Receivables and payables aging, so slow payers stand out
- A short written note on what moved, why, and what to watch next month
- Statements on an income tax or GAAP basis, whichever suits your needs
Comparisons That Fit A Michigan Year
Comparing July with June tells a lake town business almost nothing. Summer is supposed to be bigger. The useful comparison is this July against last July, and this year to date against the same point last year, because that strips out the season and shows whether the business itself is improving. When a season is about to turn, the cash flow forecast shows what that means for the bank account.
We choose the comparisons around your business. A retailer usually wants margin by department and how fast inventory is turning. A restaurant wants food and labor costs against sales. An inventory-heavy operation needs cost of goods sold recorded honestly, which is where our cost accounting focus earns its keep.
Every figure ties back to the ledger, because the package sits on top of our monthly bookkeeping and financial statement preparation rather than beside them.
From Month-End Close To A Real Conversation
Every month follows the same rhythm, so you know when to expect it.
We Close The Month
Accounts reconciled, inventory, accruals and depreciation adjusted, and the general ledger reviewed. Nothing gets reported until the month is actually finished.
We Prepare The Package
Statements, comparisons and the written note, assembled from the closed books and checked before it reaches you.
We Walk Through It With You
A call or video meeting to go over what changed, answer questions and flag anything worth acting on. On the CFO package, this becomes a monthly results meeting with forecasts built in.
You Decide What Happens Next
Maybe nothing. Maybe a price change, a hiring pause or a call to the bank. Either way, the decision starts from real numbers.
Questions About The Monthly Package
How soon after month end will I get my package?
That depends on how quickly the month's records come in and which package you're on. We agree on a schedule in your engagement letter and then keep to it, so you know when the package is coming. Consistency matters more than speed here, because a report you can count on is a report that gets read.
Can my lender or investors use these reports?
Often, yes. The statements are prepared on an income tax or GAAP basis and suit many lender conversations and investor updates. They are not audited or reviewed statements, though. If a lender requires an audit or review, we'll refer you to a partner firm and make sure the books are ready for them.
What if I don't understand something in the report?
Then ask, and keep asking. The walkthrough exists for exactly that, and ongoing accounting questions are part of every package. If the same line confuses you month after month, that's our signal to present it differently, not a sign you should nod along.
Is the reporting package part of the monthly plans?
Monthly financial statements, prepared and walked through with you, come with every monthly package. How far the reporting goes beyond that, such as custom comparisons or budget tracking, is agreed in writing in your engagement letter before the first month starts.
Where Monthly Reporting Leads Next
A forward view of cash around payroll, tax and seasonal swings, built from the same closed books.
Cash flow analysis and forecasting in detail Financial Statement PreparationProfit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statements prepared on a schedule and formatted for your business.
Financial statement preparation in detail Fractional CFO ServicesAn outside advisor for targets, budgets and bigger decisions once the reports start raising bigger questions.
Fractional CFO services in detail Accounting & Financial Reporting OverviewMonthly reporting packages and cash flow forecasting, built on books that are already closed and reconciled.
Return to Accounting & Financial ReportingGet A Monthly Report You'll Actually Read
Book a free consultation and show us what you receive today. We'll show you what a prepared monthly package would look like for your business.