Close Tracker / How it works
Documentation
00

MONTH-END CLOSE TRACKER

A no-cost, Excel-first solution for real-time visibility into the month-end close process. Built for small and mid-size global finance teams.

Month-end close governance is frequently an afterthought in mid-size finance teams — yet it carries significant operational and reporting risk. This tracker addresses that gap directly: structured real-time visibility, zero tooling cost, and no IT dependency. Built on Excel — a tool every finance team already owns — it standardises the close process without requiring new systems, budget approval, or implementation projects.
The Problem
01

WHY THIS?

From lack of visibility to full control.

FROM — the status quo
  • Lack of visibility on who does what and when
  • Last-minute surprises at period end
  • No structured risk monitoring
  • Manual follow-up, emails, chasing
  • No audit trail of the close process
→
TO — with this tracker
  • Full visibility on tasks, owners and deadlines
  • Risk-based monitoring — H/M/L priority flags
  • Immediate intervention when something slips
  • Live dashboard accessible in any browser or on mobile
  • Structured issue log with remediation tracking
The Solution
02

WHAT IT IS

A layered solution — each layer adds value independently, all layers together give real-time close control.

📊
Excel Template
Solid Excel template with working formulas — a complete solution in itself.
  • Close Tracker sheet: tasks by working day, owner, risk, status
  • Milestones sheet: sign-off gates with CFO approval tracking
  • Issue Log: structured incident tracking with remediation
  • Dashboard sheet: visual summary with progress bars and risk score
Built on Hungarian Excel — formula separators may need switching to English syntax (; to ,).
🎯
Smart Features
Built-in intelligence beyond a simple task list.
  • Risk-Weighted Close Score — completion weighted by risk (H=3x, M=2x, L=1x) for a single headline number
  • Risk to Date — overdue rate on past working days only, so risk flags are always current
  • Cycle Hours tracker — actual vs planned time per task for process improvement
  • Working Day calendar — tasks anchored to WD-5 through WD+5 relative to close date
🔗
SAP S/4HANA Connection
Optional integration to verify posted documents directly from SAP.
  • Read out completed documents by company code and period
  • Cross-reference close tracker tasks against actual postings
  • Confirm AFAB (depreciation), FAGL_FC_VAL (FX revaluation), GR/IR clearing are done
  • Reduces manual confirmation steps between SAP and the tracker
🌐
Live Online Dashboard
A real-time browser dashboard — no login, no installation required.
  • Works on desktop, tablet and mobile
  • Connects live to Google Sheets via Apps Script (or reads a static data.json)
  • Auto-refreshes every 30 seconds
  • Drill-down into tasks by working day and by owner
  • Management Attention section automatically surfaces blocked tasks, overdue milestones and open issues by category
  • Final confirmation workflow: CFO/FD signs off the period digitally
Audience
03

FOR WHO

Designed for small and mid-size global finance teams managing a legal entity close.

📋 Finance Analysts
Update task status in the Excel file as work is completed. Log issues as they arise. Track cycle hours for process improvement.
🕵 Finance Controllers
Oversee the close process end-to-end. Monitor the risk score and intervene on blocked or overdue tasks. Sign off milestones.
📈 Management / CFO
Gain instant visibility into close progress via the online dashboard. Review the Management Attention section for items requiring escalation.
Workflow
04

HOW IT WORKS

Four steps from Excel to live dashboard.

01
Shared Excel in SharePoint or Teams
The Excel file lives in SharePoint or Microsoft Teams — or converted to Google Sheets for the Google connection. Finance analysts update task status, log issues and record cycle hours throughout the close. The file is the single source of truth.
02
Optional: S/4HANA Document Verification
For teams on SAP S/4HANA, the tracker can be connected to read posted documents and confirm completion. This eliminates manual cross-referencing between SAP and the close tracker — the system tells you what's actually posted.
03
Live Google Sheets Connection
The Excel is mirrored to Google Sheets (or used natively as Google Sheets). A Google Apps Script web app serves the data as JSON. The dashboard auto-refreshes from this endpoint every 30 seconds — any update in the sheet appears on the dashboard within the minute.
04
Real-Time Dashboard in Browser or Mobile
Management and controllers access the dashboard via a simple link — no login, no app to install. The dashboard shows the close score, risk analysis, working day progress, milestones, owner breakdown and open issues. The Management Attention section automatically surfaces items requiring immediate action.