2026 / Review Sign-Off Log / 2026-04 Sign-Off
Reviewed by Dana Okafor, signed off 2026-05-02. Scope: April invoices, expenses, receipts. Outcome: no issues. Attached: April period summary export.
Period close and review
A Sign-Off Log for Reviewed Finance Periods
When you close a month or a quarter, the question that comes up months later is rarely "is this number right?" — it's "did anyone actually look at this period, and when?" A sign-off log answers that. It's a short, running record kept right beside your finance folders that attests one thing per entry: this period was reviewed, by this person, on this date, covering this scope. In Cash Workspace you keep that attestation as its own record set, so each closed period carries a plain stamp of review. This page is about the attestation log itself — not approving individual invoices and not the line-by-line field check you might run first. It's the lightweight layer that turns "we closed June, I think" into a dated, named entry you can point to. Note up front: this is organizational guidance for keeping a review record, not accounting, audit, or tax advice, and the log is a note you write — Cash Workspace does not verify or audit your numbers.
The problem
Why a period sign-off log earns its place
Most small finance operations review their periods — someone reconciles, someone glances over the month — but the act of reviewing leaves no trace. The records get filed, the period moves on, and the only evidence the review happened lives in someone's memory or a buried Slack message. That gap quietly costs you later, when an accountant, a partner, or a future version of yourself needs to know whether a period was ever signed off and what "signed off" even meant that time.
- No one can tell whether last March was actually reviewed or just filed and forgotten — the review left no record of its own.
- When two people share the books, both assume the other reviewed a period, and a month slips through with nobody attesting to it.
- An accountant asks 'who closed Q2 and what did they check?' and the answer is a shrug, because the review was never written down.
- Scope creeps invisibly: one month 'reviewed' meant a full reconciliation, the next it meant a quick skim, and nothing records the difference.
- A teammate leaves and takes with them the only knowledge of which periods were truly closed versus left open.
How it works
Keeping the sign-off log in Cash Workspace
The log is deliberately small. One record per reviewed period, written when the review is done, filed where the period lives. Here is a practical way to set it up and keep it current.
- 1
Create a Review Sign-Off folder
Inside your fiscal-year folder, add a folder named 'Review Sign-Off Log'. This is the single home for every period attestation, separate from the records being attested. One folder per year keeps the log easy to scan end to end.
- 2
Add one record per reviewed period
When you finish reviewing a period, create a record named for that period — for example '2026-06 Sign-Off' or '2026-Q2 Sign-Off'. The record name itself carries the period, so the log reads as a clean list of closed months and quarters.
- 3
Fill in who, when, and what scope
In each record, write the reviewer's name, the date the review was completed, and a short scope line stating what was covered (e.g. 'invoices, expenses, receipts for June; client records not reviewed this period'). This is the attestation — keep it factual and specific.
- 4
Attach the period's supporting artifacts
Attach anything that backs the review: an exported summary of the period, a completed close checklist, or a note from the reviewer. The attachment is evidence the review happened, not a replacement for the sign-off line itself.
- 5
File against the period and move on
Once the sign-off record is written and the period is reviewed, the entry stays put as a permanent stamp. If your routine then locks the period to read-only, the sign-off record travels with it as part of the closed set.
Record structure
Fields to record in each sign-off entry
Keep every sign-off record to the same small set of fields so the log stays comparable period to period. These are the metadata that make an entry a real attestation rather than a vague note.
- Period reviewed
- The exact month or quarter this entry attests to, e.g. 'June 2026' or 'Q2 2026'. One period per record — never roll several months into one sign-off.
- Reviewer name
- Who performed the review and is attesting to it, e.g. 'Reviewed by Dana Okafor'. Name the actual person, not just a role.
- Sign-off date
- The date the review was completed and the entry written, e.g. '2026-07-03'. This is when sign-off happened, not the last day of the period.
- Scope reviewed
- A short, honest statement of what was covered: which record types (invoices, expenses, receipts, client records) and any explicit exclusions, e.g. 'all expense and receipt records; invoice statuses not re-checked'.
- Review outcome / notes
- A one-line result: 'no issues found', or 'two receipts still missing — flagged for follow-up'. Keeps the attestation honest about open items.
- Supporting attachment
- The artifact backing the review — an exported period summary, a completed checklist, or the reviewer's working note — attached to the record.
Example setup
An example sign-off log layout
Here is how the log might look for a small consultancy that closes monthly and signs off quarterly, kept inside the 2026 fiscal-year folder. Each record is a single dated attestation.
2026 / Review Sign-Off Log / 2026-05 Sign-Off
Reviewed by Dana Okafor, signed off 2026-06-04. Scope: May invoices, expenses, receipts; client records not reviewed. Outcome: one vendor receipt missing, flagged. Attached: May summary + missing-item note.
2026 / Review Sign-Off Log / 2026-06 Sign-Off
Reviewed by Dana Okafor, signed off 2026-07-03. Scope: June invoices, expenses, receipts; May's missing receipt now attached. Outcome: clear. Attached: June summary export.
2026 / Review Sign-Off Log / 2026-Q2 Sign-Off
Reviewed by Priya Menon (second reviewer), signed off 2026-07-08. Scope: confirms April–June months were each individually signed off; quarter-level read of totals. Outcome: clear. Attached: completed quarterly close checklist.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the log as per-invoice approval. Sign-off here is period-level — 'June was reviewed' — not a stamp on each individual invoice. Keep invoice-level approvals out of this log.
- Confusing it with the field-level completeness check. Confirming each record has a date, amount, and attachment is a separate task that may happen before sign-off; the sign-off log records that a review occurred, not the field check itself.
- Writing 'reviewed' with no scope. An entry that doesn't say what was covered is nearly useless later — always include the scope line, including what was deliberately not reviewed.
- Backfilling sign-offs in bulk. Stamping six months as 'reviewed' in one sitting defeats the purpose; write each entry when the review actually happens.
- Naming records inconsistently, so the log won't sort. Use one format ('YYYY-MM Sign-Off') across every entry so the folder reads as a clean chronological list.
- Letting the attestation drift into a claim of correctness. The log says a person reviewed the period — it is not a guarantee the books are accurate, and shouldn't be written as one.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
A dedicated home for attestations
Keep a 'Review Sign-Off Log' folder per fiscal year so every period's attestation sits in one scannable place, separate from the records it covers.
One record per period, with structured notes
Each sign-off is its own record carrying reviewer, date, scope, and outcome — a consistent shape you reuse every month and quarter.
Attach the evidence
Attach a period summary, a completed checklist, or the reviewer's note directly to the sign-off record so the supporting artifact travels with the attestation.
Exportable for handoff
Export the sign-off records when an accountant or partner asks who closed which periods, so the review history leaves the workspace as a clean set.
Free and organizational by design
Cash Workspace is free to use and organizes your records and notes. It does not audit, verify, or reconcile your numbers — the sign-off is a note you write, not a check the product performs.
Related
Related workflows
Record completeness check
The field-level pass — confirming each record has a date, amount, counterparty, category, and attached doc — that you may run before signing off a period.
Lock a closed period
After a period is signed off, move its folder to read-only so no new records are added; the sign-off record travels with the locked set.
Monthly bookkeeping checklist
The recurring month-end routine whose completion is what each monthly sign-off entry attests to.
Year-end finance checklist
The annual close pass that pairs naturally with a final year-level review entry in your sign-off log.
Finance record handover
When a teammate takes over the workspace, point them at the sign-off log so they can see which periods were reviewed and by whom.
Folder structure audit
A periodic structural review that complements period sign-offs by checking the folders themselves rather than attesting to a period's review.
FAQ
Questions about period sign-off logs
- How is this different from approving each invoice?
- Invoice approval happens at the level of a single document — yes, pay this bill or send this invoice. A period sign-off attests at the level of a whole month or quarter: 'this period was reviewed by this person on this date.' Keep invoice-level approvals in your invoice records; this log records that a period was reviewed as a whole.
- Isn't this the same as checking that every record is complete?
- No. The field-level completeness check confirms each record has its date, amount, counterparty, and attachment. The sign-off log records that a review of the period occurred — who, when, and what scope. You might run the completeness check first and then write a sign-off entry once you're satisfied; they are two different artifacts.
- Does Cash Workspace verify that my period is actually correct when I sign off?
- No. The sign-off is a note you write yourself. Cash Workspace organizes the record and lets you attach supporting files, but it does not audit, reconcile, or verify your numbers, and it is not accounting or audit software. The attestation reflects a human review, not a product check.
- Who should be named as the reviewer?
- Name the actual person who performed and is attesting to the review — for a solo operator that's you; for a small team it's whoever did the close. Naming a real person, not just a role, is what makes the entry meaningful when someone reads it later.
- Should I keep a separate entry for monthly and quarterly reviews?
- Yes, if you review at both cadences. A monthly entry attests to that single month; a quarterly entry can confirm the three months were each signed off and add a quarter-level read. Keep them as separate records so the log shows both layers clearly.
Organizational guidance, not accounting or audit advice
This page describes a way to organize a period review sign-off log — a record of who reviewed a month or quarter, when, and what scope they covered. It is not accounting, audit, bookkeeping, tax, or legal advice. A sign-off entry is a note you write to document that a human review took place; it is not a guarantee that your records are accurate, complete, or compliant. Cash Workspace organizes your records, notes, and attachments and lets you export them — it does not sync with your bank, read or extract data from your documents, reconcile transactions, or verify your numbers, and it is not certified accounting software. For decisions about how to review and close your books, consult a qualified professional.
Start your free sign-off log
Give every closed month and quarter a plain, dated stamp of review. Open a free Cash Workspace, add a 'Review Sign-Off Log' folder to this year, and write your first entry the next time you close a period. It's free to use, and your attestation history stays organized and ready to hand off whenever someone asks who reviewed what.