Close Automation

The Close Checklist is where your firm manages all close work for a client — tasks, subtasks, checklist items, status, and sign-off — for each month-end close period.

Why it matters: Instead of tracking close work across spreadsheets and email threads, the Close Checklist gives your team a single place to assign, complete, and sign off on every step of the month-end close — with a clear record of who did what and when.

Required: Close Automation add-on. A connected accounting software account is required.

💡 This feature is currently in Beta. Enable it in Settings > Experimental Features.

Create a New Close Period

Each close period corresponds to one month of close work for a client. Close periods must be created within the Close Checklist — do not create them from the general Tasks area, as they will not sync correctly.

Open a client record and click the Close Automation tab.
Click Close Checklist in the sub-tab navigation.
Click New Close Period in the upper right.
In the New Close Period modal, confirm or adjust the Close Period — it defaults to the next month.
Under How would you like to get started?, select one of the following:
- Select Template — choose an existing close template from the dropdown to pre-populate tasks and subtasks.
- Duplicate previous close period — copies the task structure from the previous month's close period.
Click Create New Close Period.
- The new period appears in the checklist and is selectable from the month dropdown at the top of the Close Checklist.

📝 Note: Recurrences are not supported for close periods created in Close Automation. Create each new period manually using this flow.

Work Through the Checklist

Once a close period is created, your team works through tasks and their checklist items to complete the close.

Use the month dropdown at the top of the Close Checklist to select the period you're working on.
Click the arrow next to a Subtask to expand it and view its checklist items.
- Each checklist item has a checkbox. Check items off as they are completed.
- The Subtask header shows a running count of completed items (e.g., 2/3).
- Click Add checklist item to add more steps to the checklist.
Click Add Work > Add Subtask to add another subtask to the workflow.
- Add a Subtask name and click Add Subtask to add.
- Open the new Subtask and click Add checklist item to create a checklist.
To update a task's status, priority, assignee, or due date, use the corresponding columns in the task row.
- Click Assign... in the Assignee column to assign a team member.
To view the full task workspace — including time tracking, files, notes, reminders, and automations — click View Task at the top of the Close Checklist.
- The task workspace uses Canopy's standard task interface. See Task Workspace for more detail.
To edit or archive a task, click the three-dot menu on the right side of the task row and select Edit or Archive.

Submit for Sign-Off

Once close work is complete, submit the period for sign-off to create a record of completion.

In the Close Checklist, click Submit for Sign-Off in the upper right.
- The status indicator next to the button updates to show the period is pending sign-off.
To sign off, click the Sign Off button.
- The checklist records the signer's name and the date of sign-off.

Reopen a Signed-Off Close Period

Click Reopen.
- The sign-off is cleared and the Submit for Sign-Off button becomes available again.
- Previously completed checklist items remain checked.

📝 Note: Currently, any user with access to the client record can submit and sign off on a close period. Role-based permissions for sign-off are planned for a future release.

Summary

This article covered how to create and manage close periods in the Close Checklist, including setting up new periods from a template or previous close, working through tasks and checklist items, and submitting for sign-off. Use the related articles below to manage flagged items and review close health alongside your checklist work.