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Signs You Need a QuickBooks Cleanup (and What It Includes)

Unreconciled accounts, undeposited funds, negative AR/AP? See the top signs you need a QuickBooks cleanup and exactly what’s included. CPA-reviewed deliverables, clear cost & timeline.

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Messy QuickBooks doesn’t just create stress-it creates risk. If accounts don’t reconcile, undeposited funds keep growing, or AR/AP reports don’t match the GL, your financials are unreliable for taxes, lending, or decisions. This guide lists the clear, objective signs you need a QuickBooks cleanup and spells out exactly what a professional cleanup includes. Our process is handled by QBO Certified advisors and finalized with a CPA review, so every reconciliation, reclass, and adjustment is documented with workpapers. You’ll finish with a clean file, a variance note explaining changes, and a period-lock recommendation to protect your history-then roll into a predictable monthly close.

Red-Flag Signs You Need a Cleanup

  • tick Unreconciled accounts (bank/credit/loan) for one or more months
  • tick Undeposited Funds or “Ask My Accountant” balances that never clear
  • tick AR/AP aging doesn’t match the GL or shows negative customers/vendors
  • tick Uncategorized income/expense or heavy suspense account usage
  • tick Inventory/COGS mismatches to your e-commerce or inventory system
  • tick Payroll liabilities stuck or out of balance with provider reports
  • tick Duplicate vendors/customers, inconsistent rules, or missing documentation
  • tick Prior periods unlocked and changing after you thought they were “final”
  • tick Bank feeds broken or missing statement history
  • tick Financial statements don’t tie to external statements or subledgers

What a Professional QuickBooks Cleanup Includes

  • tick Statement-to-GL Reconciliations for bank/credit/loan accounts (month-by-month)
  • tick Undeposited Funds & Suspense Clearing → zeroed out with audit trail
  • tick Reclassifications & Rules → standardized vendors, documented recurring JEs
  • tick AR/AP Corrections → apply payments/credits, remove negatives, tidy write-offs
  • tick Adjusting Entries → accruals, prepaids, depreciation/amortization with schedules
  • tick Inventory/COGS (if applicable) → item/GL tie-outs and mapping fixes
  • tick Payroll & Sales Tax → liabilities tie to third-party reports; adjustments documented
  • tick Deliverables → P&L, Balance Sheet, AR/AP aging, cash highlights, CPA review + variance notes + period-lock guidance

How We Size Your Cleanup (So Pricing Is Predictable)

We quickly assess:

  • tick Months of backlog
  • tick # of bank/credit/loan accounts to reconcile
  • tick AR/AP usage and open items
  • tick Payroll, inventory, multi-entity, or connected apps (Shopify, Stripe, etc.)

Then we give you a clear cost & timeline before work begins (typical cleanup: 1-4 weeks).

After Cleanup: Keep It Clean with a Monthly Close

Move straight into our CPA-reviewed monthly close: weekly engine → month-end reconciliations → variance notes → period lock. Add AR, AP, payroll JEs, and integrations as needed.

Ready for a Clean, CPA-Reviewed QuickBooks File?

Get a firm price and timeline based on your backlog and accounts.

Get My Cleanup Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes-look for unreconciled months, Undeposited Funds > $0, negative AR/AP, or aging reports that don’t match the GL.

We reclassify or reverse-we don’t delete-so your audit trail stays intact and reconciliations remain explainable.

Most finish in 1-4 weeks after access. Larger backlogs or inventory/multi-entity complexity can extend the window; we commit to a firm schedule after assessment.

A clean, reconciled file, a reporting pack (P&L, BS, AR/AP aging, cash highlights), CPA review notes, posted adjusting entries, an exceptions list, and a period-lock recommendation.

Not necessarily. We stabilize current feeds, rebuild rules, and only recommend app changes when they materially reduce error risk.

Yes. We provide workpapers and tie-outs so your CPA can file without rework.

View all answers in our full QuickBooks Cleanup FAQ →

Ready to fix the past and close this month?

Get a CPA-reviewed QuickBooks cleanup with a firm timeline.

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