Every finance team knows the feeling. The final weeks of the year, spreadsheets open, deadlines looming. It’s a familiar pressure point – part ritual, part extreme sport.
But some teams seem to handle it differently. Their year-end isn’t a scramble. They wrap up the numbers, share results and still make the Christmas party on time.
So, what is this unicorn’s secret? It’s not better coffee or even bigger teams. It is structure.
Picking predictability over pace
Teams that plan early create an environment that enables better decisions. Deloitte’s Finance Trends 2026 report notes that businesses with structured close routines spend 25% less time on corrections and reworks. Meanwhile, Gartner’s 2026 CFO Agenda survey found a similar pattern: predictable closes drive stronger accuracy in forecasts for the following year.
This doesn’t mean slowing down or stagnation. On the contrary. It’s knowing what comes next and creating space to be more strategic.
Assembly required
High-performing finance teams share a few key habits. For one, they set clear deadlines. They define who owns what, which set of numbers, and review variances regularly, so there are no last-minute surprises.
A shared tracker or recurring pre-close a few weeks before the actual one helps surface issues early, a sort of miniature stress test. Many finance leaders now treat this as standard practice. Gartner’s 2026 CFO Agenda survey shows that teams running a pre-close reduce late adjustments by almost a fifth as the real close surfaces fewer unknowns.
Planning with confidence: calamity to calm
When the process runs smoothly, the benefits are felt beyond December, especially pertinent for those with a year-end in April. Accuracy goes up and decisions get made faster. Your teams spend less time chasing data and more time understanding it.
We know a calmer close doesn’t mean the workload reduces; it means you are in control of it. And when you are in control, it means you are less stressed, stretched and better able to make decisions.
When out-of-office messages start filling your inbox, you’ll know the numbers are wrapped up properly, making those mince pies taste even sweeter. Then you can focus on the next challenge: building the best start to 2026.
Next steps for finance
- Test a short pre-close before your next month-end. Treat it as a rehearsal. A quick run-through will help identify blockers and bottlenecks, missing data or anomalies, and communication gaps, allowing for timely fixes.
- Record every post-close correction. Let’s aim to reduce them next time. Tracking adjustments builds a map of where errors originate. A simple review or retro after each close can highlight process improvements worth locking in for next time.
- Reuse this checklist for each quarter and continually refine. Consistency turns best practices into habits. The more you repeat and refine the process, the less reactive your team and process become.
If you would like more information or support with your account, please speak with a member of our team. Or find out what’s new at Soldo.
