Books rarely fall behind all at once. It happens a week at a time — until one day BAS is due and nothing adds up. Here are the signs it's time for a catch-up.
- Your bank feed has hundreds of unreconciled lines. If you scroll and scroll, it's time.
- You're not sure what you're owed. Unpaid invoices hide when nobody is following them up.
- BAS time is a scramble. If every quarter feels like a fire drill, the routine isn't working.
- Your accountant keeps sending questions. Clean books mean fewer questions and a smaller bill.
- Receipts live in a shoebox, glovebox or inbox. Anything not recorded can't be claimed.
- Your bank balance and your software don't match. That gap is a sign of missing or doubled-up transactions.
- You don't know if you made money last month. Your books should tell you in minutes.
What to do first
- Don't start from today and work back — start from the last point where things were right.
- Gather bank statements, sales and bills for the whole gap before you begin.
- Reconcile month by month, checking each bank balance matches before moving on.
- Once you're current, set a weekly routine so it doesn't happen again.
If that list feels like a lot, that's what a catch-up job is for — handing it to someone who does this every day.