Closing Agent: how to work through a close

This guide walks you through a complete close once – from the start to the delivered file. For an overview of phases and areas, see Overview and scope.

1. Check that the data is current

Before you create a new close, Arcarius asks whether you posted any relevant entries in your accounting system today. If so, select Yes — I posted entries today, then Reload transactions. Start the close only after the update is complete. If nothing relevant was posted today, the data from the nightly synchronization is current.

2. Start a close

Open the Closing Agent and click New close. In the dialog you choose:

• the annual close for the selected financial year,
• the reporting date and the period,
• optionally a comparison period (previous period or the same period last year).

There is exactly one run per closing type and period.

3. Work through an area

Arcarius splits the close into areas. Open an area – first you clarify its accounts. For each account you choose, for example:

• Upload a document (such as a bank statement or balance confirmation),
• Enter the balance manually,
• Have Arcarius run a plausibility check,
• or don’t include the account.

Once the accounts are clarified, Arcarius starts the area: it reconciles, checks, and – where needed – prepares correction entries. In the area’s chat you can ask questions or add receipts at any time.

4. Approve entries

Prepared entries appear in the area under Entries (with status Proposal, Prepared, or Posted). Review them and click Approve – only then are they transferred to bexio (or Run My Accounts). Something not right? Reject – or, if already posted, Cancel booking.

5. Mark an area as done

When an area is right for you, click Mark as complete. Arcarius never sets an area to “done” itself, only to “to review” – the decision is yours. You can reopen a completed area via Continue editing.

6. Complete the phase

Once all required work in a phase is done, you complete it (e.g. Complete preparation). Depending on the phase, that means areas, topics, or a reviewed phase result. After Preparation and Execution, a short data refresh follows – you reload the general ledger (or general ledger and subledgers) so the next phase starts on the current state.

Important: Once you complete a phase and move to the next one, you can still view the completed phase but cannot reopen or edit it. Before completing a phase, make sure that all results and open items are correct.

7. Through the remaining phases

• Execution: the actual closing entries (valuations, accruals, depreciation …) – same principle: prepare, approve, complete.
• Post-processing: take the results from Preparation and Execution into the client meeting. Afterwards, hand any open topics that emerge from the discussion to Arcarius via Create new topic – with a title, a short instruction, and optional documents. Arcarius starts automatically. Finally, Arcarius calculates the final tax provision.
• Equity close: you decide the appropriation of earnings (dividend, reserves, or carry-forward); Arcarius proposes the statutory allocation to reserves and prepares the entries.
• Documentation: choose the Arcarius standard documentation or upload your own documentation file. Arcarius creates an Excel workbook that records the closing work, reconciliations, evidence, entries, and open items in a traceable format.

8. Deliver the close

Download and review the completed closing documentation, then click Deliver close – the run counts as completed and moves to “Completed” in the overview.

Read more: Overview and scope · Permissions, approvals and handoff · FAQ.