Define the close scope
Give Nema the approved checklist, reporting period, entity or entities, cutoff rules, and the supporting-record index. Explain what each status means. A file being present does not necessarily mean an accountant reviewed or accepted it.
Keep financial records in a Slack channel with the right audience. Link to restricted support rather than copying details more broadly.
Compare requirements with support
Ask Nema to match each checklist item to the supplied evidence and show the source date. Group complete items separately from missing support, unresolved exceptions, and review still pending.
The exception list should preserve accounting distinctions. An invoice received after cutoff, an unapproved accrual, and an unexplained balance are different issues even if all remain open.
Make the next action clear
For each exception, show what is missing, who currently owns the item when known, the expected date, and the close task affected. Leave unsupported owners blank. Accountants can resolve assignments in the Slack thread.
Conflicting evidence belongs in the list. If a checklist says complete but the support index shows no file, Nema should ask the accountant rather than choosing one status.
Keep the ledger with accountants
The close owner reviews the packet, validates period and entity, and decides the accounting treatment. Nema can prepare questions, summaries, and reminders from supplied records. It does not post entries, certify balances, or declare the books closed.
After owners respond, Nema can issue an updated exception view. Preserve the reporting timestamp so everyone knows which records it reflects.
Begin with one close area
Choose a bounded area such as prepaid expenses or bank support from a completed period. Rebuild the exception list and compare it with the accountant's final checklist. Fix naming and status definitions before expanding to a full close.
Questions from accounting teams
Does Nema reconcile accounts?
This workflow organizes checklist evidence and exceptions. Accountants perform and approve reconciliations under the team's controls.
What if support arrives after the report?
Add the record and rerun the view with a new timestamp. Do not overwrite the earlier snapshot without preserving the change.
Can Nema post journal entries?
No ledger mutation is part of this workflow. Accountants retain entry preparation, approval, and posting.
After close, review which exceptions arrived late and which checklist labels caused confusion. Update the controlled checklist itself so next month's packet begins with better definitions instead of relying on remembered Slack corrections.