Reconcile the billing system before the bank
Export invoices, credit notes, refunds and subscription changes for the month. Match them to processor settlements, including foreign exchange and any withheld reserve. A processor’s net deposit does not explain customer revenue on its own.
Separate new subscriptions, renewals, upgrades and cancellations so unusual movements can be investigated. Keep management metrics tied to a defined method: a recurring-revenue measure is not a replacement for financial-statement revenue.
An advance payment needs a schedule
Illustrative example: a customer pays $12,000 before tax for a twelve-month service period. If the agreed accounting policy recognizes an evenly delivered service over those twelve months, a schedule would allocate $1,000 per month and track the unearned balance. The full $12,000 bank receipt should not silently become one month’s operating performance.
Contract terms, implementation work, refunds and other promises can change the accounting. Document the policy with the accountant and identify the start date and remaining obligation for each material contract.
Build a technology-company close pack
- Customer billing export and a reconciliation to the general ledger.
- Processor clearing, foreign-currency balances and outstanding refunds.
- Advance-receipt or deferred-revenue schedules under the agreed policy.
- Payroll and contractor costs, with approved project or department allocations.
- Prepaid software, annual subscriptions and equipment records.
- Cash commitments, overdue receivables and assumptions used in a forecast.
Keep funding and tax-credit records distinct
A financing discussion may need a cash forecast, headcount plan and actual-versus-budget results. A potential research tax-credit claim needs its own technical and financial evidence; a bookkeeping cost category does not establish eligibility. Keep original time and cost records rather than trying to reconstruct them from a bank feed.
Invest Ottawa support varies by business stage and program. Prepare a concise explanation of the decision you need help with, then take reports suited to that discussion. Clearly label projections and avoid blending a hoped-for grant into cash already available.
Put this into practice
Sources and current guidance
A practical next step
Bring the records you have.
We can identify missing information, agree on the scope and organize the next bookkeeping step.
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