## TL;DR

AP close is a sequence with dependencies: intake cutoff, matching completion, accruals, reconciliations, then reporting. Give the agent a checklist with verification at each step (counts reconcile, subledgers tie to GL, accruals posted), and block progression until each check passes. The close finishes when the checklist is green, not when the calendar says so.

## Steps

1. Enforce the intake cutoff and count received vs processed.
   Expected: A complete population.
2. Complete matching; list unmatched items with reasons.
   Expected: No unexplained stragglers.
3. Post accruals for uninvoiced receipts.
   Expected: Complete expenses.
4. Reconcile AP subledger to the GL.
   Expected: Tied-out books.
5. Produce the AP close report and aging.
   Expected: The deliverable.

## When to use

- Month-end close
- AP close automation
- Close acceleration programs

## When not to use

- GL close (broader)
- Quarterly audits
- Daily AP operations

## Compatibility

ERP-agnostic.

## Variant phrasings

### AP close checklist

### month-end accounts payable

### close the AP subledger

## Root cause

Close errors come from skipped steps, not hard steps. A checklist with gates makes the sequence explicit and verifiable.

## Edge cases

- Late invoices after cutoff go to next period with accruals
- Intercompany needs coordinated close timing
- First close with a new agent needs human parallel-run

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_iCxN34upPw0qw_CkoogCWw