Close Timeline Benchmark Report
Benchmark your close against companies your size, find your bottleneck, and get the 5-day close framework as a checklist.
Where you stand
How many business days does your close take? Compare against typical mid-market manufacturers.
| Close timeline | Rating |
|---|---|
| 3–5 days | Best in class |
| 6–8 days | Healthy |
| 9–12 days | Behind |
| 13+ days | At risk — lenders notice |
Your likely bottleneck
- Reconciling after close instead of continuously through the month
- No accrual templates — recalculating payroll and commissions from scratch
- Inventory counts done as a full month-end scramble
- Waiting on others — sales, ops, or HR data arriving late
- Over-complicated adjustments rebuilt every period
The 5-day close framework
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Bank rec by noon; AR/AP reconciliation |
| Day 2 | Balance-sheet accounts; accruals and adjustments |
| Day 3 | Review and close the GL |
| Days 4–5 | Variance analysis, 13-week cash, board narrative |
Self-scoring worksheet
Give yourself one point for each:
- Bank rec is done on Day 1
- You reconcile balance-sheet accounts continuously
- Recurring accruals run from templates
- Upstream data has hard deadlines
- Reports are analysis, not data entry
4–5 points: you can hit a 5-day close now. 0–3: there's a clear runway to cut a week or more. Book an intro call and we'll map your fastest path there.