AI Playbook
for Accounting

You are an accounting analyst. Draft a 6-8 sentence variance explanation for the month. Format as narrative paragraph.

Input data:
[Paste your KPI table or variance summary here]

Instructions:
- Summarize the largest variances (vs. budget or prior year)
- Identify drivers (volume, pricing, cost, mix)
- Note any one-time items that distort comparison
- Use cautious language ("may indicate", "appears driven by")
- Do NOT invent data or numbers
- Conclude with 3 follow-up questions for business owner

Format: One paragraph, clear, CFO-ready.

You are an accounting controller. Triage these reconciliation exceptions into categories.

Exception list:
[Paste reconciliation exceptions here - use IDs, not customer names]

Categorize each as:
1) Timing difference (expected to clear next period)
2) Missing documentation (need to retrieve supporting doc)
3) Transposition error (data entry mistake)
4) Potential fraud flag (investigate immediately)

For EACH exception, recommend:
- Next action (follow-up with whom)
- Owner / investigator
- Evidence needed

Format clearly. Prioritize fraud flags at top.

You are a finance process analyst. Analyze our close process for automation opportunities.

Current process:
[Describe current close steps: who does what, timeline, pain points]

Example format:
- Step 1: GL cutoff (2 days, manual, error-prone)
- Step 2: Reconcile balance sheet accounts (5 days, spreadsheet-based)
- Step 3: Variance explanations (3 days, drafted in Word)
- Step 4: Review & approval (1 day, email handoff)

For EACH step, recommend:
- Automation opportunity (AI, RPA, tool)
- Estimated time saved
- Implementation complexity (low/med/high)
- Required controls

Prioritize highest impact + lowest complexity.

You are a senior accountant. Review this list of recurring expenses and flag any missing accruals for month-end.

Expense list:
[Paste your recurring vendor list, contracts, or prior month accrual schedule]

For each item, check:
- Was an invoice received this period? (yes/no/unknown)
- If no invoice: estimate accrual amount based on prior months or contract terms
- Flag any amounts that changed >15% from prior month
- Note any new vendors or contracts not yet in the accrual schedule

Output: Table with columns: Vendor | Category | Prior Month | This Month Estimate | Variance | Action Needed

Tone: Precise. Flag uncertainties clearly.

You are an internal auditor. Review these manual journal entries for potential issues.

Journal entries:
[Paste JE data: date, preparer, account, debit, credit, description]

Check for:
1) Round-number entries (e.g., exactly $10,000 or $50,000)
2) Entries posted near period-end or after close date
3) Unusual account combinations (e.g., revenue + expense in same entry)
4) Entries with vague descriptions ("adjustment", "correction", "misc")
5) Entries by users who don't normally post to these accounts
6) Debit/credit imbalances

For each flagged entry, explain WHY it's flagged and suggest follow-up.

Format: Risk-ranked list. Highest risk first.

You are a financial analyst. Prepare a balance sheet flux analysis comparing this month to prior month and prior year.

Balance sheet data:
[Paste: account name, current month balance, prior month balance, prior year balance]

For each account with movement >10% or >$50K:
- Calculate $ change and % change (month-over-month and year-over-year)
- Provide a likely explanation based on account type and business context
- Flag any movements that seem unusual or warrant investigation
- Suggest supporting documentation to request

Format: Table with narrative explanations. Group by: Current Assets, Non-Current Assets, Liabilities, Equity.

You are an intercompany accountant. Reconcile these intercompany balances and identify discrepancies.

Intercompany data:
[Paste: Entity A balance, Entity B balance, transaction type, period]

For each intercompany pair:
- Compare reciprocal balances (Entity A's receivable from B vs. B's payable to A)
- Identify net difference
- Categorize discrepancy: timing (in-transit), FX translation, posting error, or missing entry
- Recommend resolution (which entity needs to book an entry?)

Also flag:
- Any pair with difference >$5K or >5%
- Balances that have been unresolved for 2+ months
- One-sided entries (exists in one entity but not the other)

Format: Reconciliation table with action items column.

You are a staff accountant. Review this prepaid expense and deferred revenue schedule for month-end.

Schedule data:
[Paste: description, original amount, start date, end date, monthly amortization, remaining balance]

Check for:
1) Amortization accuracy (does monthly amount x remaining months = remaining balance?)
2) Expired items (end date has passed but balance remains)
3) New items added this month (proper setup and amortization start date)
4) Unusual balances (negative amounts, amounts that don't change month to month)
5) Missing items (known contracts or insurance policies not on the schedule)
6) Proper classification (short-term vs. long-term split for balance sheet)

Produce:
- Summary of total prepaid/deferred balances by category
- List of exceptions found
- Recommended journal entries to correct any issues

Format: Exception report with recommended actions.

You are a fixed asset accountant. Prepare a fixed asset roll-forward for the period.

Asset data:
[Paste: asset description, category, acquisition date, cost, accumulated depreciation, net book value, useful life, method]

Produce:
1) Opening balance reconciliation (beginning NBV by category)
2) Additions this period (new assets placed in service)
3) Disposals / retirements (assets removed, gain/loss calculation)
4) Depreciation expense (current period, by category)
5) Ending balance (closing NBV by category)
6) Reconciliation check (opening + additions - disposals - depreciation = ending)

Also flag:
- Fully depreciated assets still in service (confirm they still exist)
- Assets with unusual useful life assumptions
- Any assets with $0 salvage value and high original cost
- Impairment indicators (significant decline in use or market value)

Format: Roll-forward table with narrative notes.

You are a revenue accountant. Review these contracts and confirm proper revenue recognition treatment under ASC 606.

Contract data:
[Paste: customer, contract value, deliverables, payment terms, start/end dates]

For each contract, walk through the 5-step model:
1) Identify the contract (is there an enforceable agreement?)
2) Identify performance obligations (distinct goods/services)
3) Determine transaction price (fixed, variable, discounts, financing)
4) Allocate price to obligations (standalone selling prices)
5) Recognize revenue (point in time vs. over time, and why)

Flag:
- Multiple deliverables that need allocation
- Variable consideration requiring constraint analysis
- Extended payment terms that might contain a financing component
- Contract modifications vs. new contracts
- Bill-and-hold arrangements

Format: Contract-by-contract analysis. Include recommended journal entries.

You are a cash accountant. Prepare a bank reconciliation for this account.

Bank statement data:
[Paste: date, description, amount, running balance — from bank statement]

GL cash account data:
[Paste: date, description, amount, running balance — from general ledger]

Reconcile:
1) Match transactions between bank and GL (by amount and approximate date)
2) Identify outstanding checks (in GL but not yet cleared at bank)
3) Identify deposits in transit (in GL but not yet on bank statement)
4) Flag bank charges/fees not yet recorded in GL
5) Flag interest income not yet recorded in GL
6) Identify unmatched items on both sides

Produce:
- Bank reconciliation (bank balance + deposits in transit - outstanding checks = GL balance)
- List of reconciling items with recommended journal entries
- Aged outstanding items (anything >30 days = investigate)

Format: Standard bank reconciliation format.

You are a Controller. Draft a close status update email for the finance team and leadership.

Close data:
[Paste: close checklist with completion status, key metrics, open items]

Current close day: [Day X of Y]

Include:
1) Overall status (on track / at risk / behind — and why)
2) Completed milestones (what's done)
3) In-progress items (who owns them, expected completion)
4) Blockers (what's holding things up, who needs to act)
5) Key financial highlights (preliminary revenue, expenses, net income vs. prior month)
6) Open action items with owners and deadlines
7) Next 24-hour priorities

Tone: Concise, factual, no fluff. CFO should be able to scan this in 60 seconds.
Format: Short email — max 15 lines. Use bold for key numbers and action items.

You are a senior accountant. Prepare the monthly lease accounting entries under ASC 842.

Lease data:
[Paste: lease description, commencement date, term, monthly payment, discount rate, classification (operating/finance)]

For each lease, calculate and prepare:
1) Monthly amortization of right-of-use (ROU) asset
2) Monthly interest on lease liability (finance leases)
3) Monthly straight-line lease expense (operating leases)
4) Lease liability balance roll-forward (beginning + interest - payment = ending)
5) ROU asset balance roll-forward (beginning - amortization = ending)
6) Short-term lease expense (leases under 12 months, if elected)

Also check:
- Any leases with modifications this month (remeasurement needed?)
- Any leases expiring within 90 days (renewal decision needed?)
- Variable lease payments to record (CAM, property tax, percentage rent)
- Lease liability maturity schedule (short-term vs. long-term split for balance sheet)

Format: Journal entry detail + roll-forward schedules + balance sheet classification.