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Essential Year-End QuickBooks® Online Tasks for 2025

As the year winds down, strategic preparation in QuickBooks® Online (QBO) can prevent the last-minute rush and inaccuracies that often accompany the fiscal close. For business owners leveraging QBO, now is the perfect time to implement a structured approach to year-end bookkeeping. This not only saves you time but also ensures a smooth transition into 2026 amidst new IRS regulations and enhanced QBO functionalities.

1. Meticulously Reconcile Accounts

Navigate to Settings → Chart of Accounts → Reconcile. Here, you can align your bank and credit card statements, inspect your Undeposited Funds, and verify every outstanding item. QBO's reconciliation tool provides in-depth guidance on any unreconciled transactions, helping you avoid surprises at tax time.Image 1

2. Analyze Customer and Vendor Aging Reports

Generate Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Aging reports to manage uncollectible debts and outstanding vendor payments. Address these promptly to enhance your balance sheet's accuracy and streamline tax preparation processes.Image 2

3. Utilize Advanced Reporting Features

The "Modern View" in QBO reports offers enhanced filters, quicker load times, and greater customization options, making it easier to generate crucial reports like Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Forecasts. These updates enable more efficient data analysis and decision-making. 

4. Prepare and Monitor 1099/NEC for Contractors

For those employing freelancers or independent contractors, go to Expenses → Vendors → Prepare 1099s. Ensure W-9s are on file and payment thresholds are monitored in QBO to avoid penalties in the first quarter of the new year.

5. Finalize Book Closures and Verify Fiscal Settings

Head to Settings → Advanced and check the "First month of fiscal year" setting. Issue closing balances to prevent unintended modifications to your year-end data, ensuring your tax preparer has accurate numbers to work with.

6. Plan for 2026 with Cash Flow Projections

Leverage QBO’s Cash Flow forecasting tool to prepare for the first quarter of 2026, considering potential revenue fluctuations, tax obligations, and seasonal expenses. Effective planning strengthens cash-flow resilience, providing clarity rather than just end-of-year tidiness.

7. Employ Automation and Latest Tools

QBO's latest upgrades, such as streamlined pay item cleanup and integrated e-signatures for payroll processes, enhance efficiency and reduce error potential as you approach year-end.Image 3 

In conclusion, dedicating 30-60 minutes each week to account reconciliation, analyzing aging reports, updating reports, managing contractor duties, and closing books ensures a seamless transition into the new year. QuickBooks® Online not only helps in recording transactions but also in fostering strategic financial readiness.

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