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Controller & Month-End Close Services for Minnesota Small Businesses
Accurate, reconciled financial statements on a dependable schedule — plus the oversight that keeps your bookkeeping honest, your bank comfortable and your CPA happy.
What a controller does
Own the close. Trust the numbers.
A bookkeeper records transactions. A controller makes sure the whole picture is right — every account reconciled, every balance tied out, revenue and costs in the right period — and then turns that into financial statements you can actually use to run the business, take to your bank, or hand to your tax preparer.
Our controller service gives Minnesota small businesses that layer of oversight without hiring a full-time accounting manager. Our goal for every client is the same: clean, accurate financials in your hands by the 10th of the month.
What's included
- Month-end close on a fixed schedule you can plan around
- Balance-sheet reconciliations: bank, credit cards, loans, payroll liabilities, sales tax
- Reviewed profit & loss, balance sheet and cash-flow statement
- Budget vs. actual with variance explanations — not just numbers
- Job costing and class reporting by project, customer or service line
- Review of in-house or outsourced bookkeeping work
- Year-end package and coordination with your CPA
- Lender, bonding and owner reporting packages
Month after month
How the monthly close works
A close is a checklist, not a scramble. Every month follows the same sequence, so you know exactly when your numbers will be ready and what "ready" means.
- Close the booksAll transactions coded and posted; AP, AR and payroll tied to source documents.
- Reconcile everythingEvery bank, card, loan and liability account balanced to its statement — differences investigated, not plugged.
- Review and adjustAccruals, prepaids, depreciation and cut-off checked so each month stands on its own.
- ReportFinancial statements, budget vs. actual and job or class reports delivered on schedule, in plain language.
- Talk it throughA short review of what moved, why, and what to watch next month.
Who it's for
Signs you need a controller, not just a bookkeeper
The numbers change after you've looked at them
Prior months keep shifting. That's a sign entries are landing in the wrong period or accounts aren't being reconciled.
Your CPA cleans up at year-end
If tax prep starts with a long list of questions and adjusting entries, you're paying CPA rates for controller work.
You need lender-ready statements
Banks, bonding companies and landlords want statements that tie out — every month, not once a year.
Jobs feel profitable but the P&L disagrees
Job costing and class coding show where the money actually went, project by project.
You have a bookkeeper and want a second set of eyes
We review the work, tighten the process and add simple controls — without replacing anyone.
Multiple entities or locations
Consistent coding and consolidated reporting across companies, so you can compare apples to apples.
Where it fits
Bookkeeper, controller or CFO?
Controller services sit between day-to-day bookkeeping and forward-looking fractional CFO work. Many clients start with a clean close and add CFO support as the business grows.
| Bookkeeper | Controller | Fractional CFO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Recording transactions accurately | Accuracy, reconciliation and reporting | Strategy, cash and the road ahead |
| Question it answers | "What happened?" | "Are the numbers right, and what do they say?" | "What should we do next?" |
| Typical deliverables | Coded transactions, AP & AR, reconciliations | Month-end close, financial statements, budget vs. actual, job costing | Cash-flow forecast, budget, KPIs, financing and scenario plans |
| Cadence | Weekly and monthly | Monthly close | Monthly strategy meeting, plus as decisions come up |
| Learn more | Bookkeeping services | Controller services | Fractional CFO |
Common questions
Controller questions we hear most
What's the difference between a bookkeeper and a controller?
A bookkeeper records transactions and keeps the day-to-day moving: coding, bills, invoices, reconciliations. A controller owns the month-end close, makes sure every balance ties out and every item lands in the right period, reviews the bookkeeping, and turns it into financial statements you can rely on. Think of it as the difference between entering the numbers and standing behind them. See our bookkeeping services for the day-to-day side.
Do I need a controller if I already have a bookkeeper?
Often, yes — especially once the business has payroll, multiple accounts, jobs or locations, or a lender looking at the statements. A controller reviews the bookkeeper's work, owns the reconciliations and close, and produces statements you can hand to a bank or CPA. We're happy to work alongside your existing bookkeeper rather than replace them.
What reports will I get each month?
A reviewed profit & loss, balance sheet and cash-flow statement; budget vs. actual with variance notes; accounts receivable and payable aging; and job, class or location reporting where it applies — all in plain language, with a short review of what moved and why.
How fast is the month-end close?
Our goal for every client is clean, accurate financials in your hands by the 10th of the month. Exact timing depends on how quickly bank statements, payroll reports and source documents arrive, and we'll agree on a schedule you can plan around.
Can you help before a bank loan, bonding review or audit?
Yes. We prepare loan packages, lender reporting and workers' compensation documentation, and we get the books tied out before anyone else looks at them — so the questions you get are small ones.
Where are you located?
We're based in Minnesota and serve small businesses across the state, including Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding Twin Cities metro. The close happens in your accounting platform, so location is rarely a barrier.
Want statements you can trust by the 10th?
Let's talk about your close, your reports and where the numbers keep slipping.