How do you catch up on months of bookkeeping?
Gather every bank and card statement, work through the months from the oldest forward, match each month to its statement, and only then look at reports.
Catching up works the same way whether the gap is two months or ten: statements first, then one month at a time from the oldest forward. The questions in the cleanup section all start from that order. Before deciding who does the work, the cost-of-help answers show what outside help runs, and bookkeeping services are ranked for anyone who would rather pay for it.
The order of work
Collect the bank and card statements for every month that is missing. The IRS says records generally need to be kept for three years, which is a good reason to find the paper before it disappears. Enter the oldest month first, then match it to its statement before moving on. The steps of a bank match are the same ones used every month.
Doing it yourself costs time, not cash. Hiring changes that, and the going wage for bookkeeping is a fair yardstick for any quote. Pilot lists catch-up work among its offers, and the full Pilot scorecard shows how it scores. Xendoo sells catch-up as an add-on to its plans.
Where the work piles up
Online stores make a backlog heavier, because every payout hides many orders. A service for a Shopify store’s books can take that on, and ongoing bookkeeping fees cover what happens after the catch-up is done. The reason to hurry is simple: the idea behind bookkeeping is a record that stays current, and each missing month makes the next one harder.
After you are current
Once the months are filled in, split the jobs. Who does what with the numbers decides whether you need an accountant on top of a bookkeeper. Scored services at a glance lists the choices, and the overall ranking of accounting software helps keep the next gap from opening.
Common questions
Where do I start when the books are months behind?
Start with the oldest month that has no entries and collect its bank and card statements. Every later month builds on that one.
How long do I need to keep the records?
The IRS says to keep records for three years in the usual case, and employment tax records for four years.
Can a service do the catch-up?
Yes. Xendoo sells catch-up as an add-on to its monthly plans, and Pilot’s entry plan is $99 a month for ongoing work.