# Catch up on months of bookkeeping in a weekend

> Nine months of put-off bookkeeping, categorized and reconciled one month at a time through a chat.

Upload one month of bank and card statements at a time. You get every transaction categorized, a reconciliation against the statement and steps to enter it in your software.

- Page: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/bookkeeping-catch-up/
- Category: Put your business on autopilot
- Made for: Coaches, Consultants, Small business owners
- Works in: ChatGPT, Claude
- Time: About 30 minutes per month of statements
- Effort: A few steps
- Note: Remove full account numbers before you upload. Have your accountant review the books before you file taxes.

## The prompt

Fill in the parts in [square brackets], or leave them and the AI will ask you for them.

```text
I run [TYPE OF BUSINESS, e.g. a solo coaching practice] and I'm catching up on bookkeeping for [MONTHS TO CATCH UP, e.g. January to September]. I use [YOUR SOFTWARE, e.g. QuickBooks, Xero or a spreadsheet]. I'll upload one month of bank and card statements at a time.

For each month:
1. Put every transaction in a table: date, payee, amount, suggested category (standard small-business categories, or mine: [YOUR CATEGORIES, e.g. software, travel, contractors]), and how confident you are.
2. Flag anything that looks personal, duplicated, a refund, or a transfer between my own accounts.
3. Ask me about the ones you're unsure of in one batch.
4. Reconcile: starting balance, money in, money out, ending balance. Tell me if it doesn't match the statement.
5. Give me a one-paragraph summary of where the money went.
Then walk me step by step through entering or importing it into my software. My accountant will review it, so note anything they should look at.
```

## Step by step

1. Download bank and card statements as CSV files.
2. Run the prompt one month at a time.
3. Enter or import the sorted list into your software, then have your accountant review it.

## What you'll get

Categorized, reconciled transactions month by month, a short spending summary and step-by-step entry instructions.

## Good to know

**Which AI tools does this work in?** It works in ChatGPT and Claude. On this page, ChatGPT and Claude open with your prompt already typed in. Remove full account numbers before you upload. Have your accountant review the books before you file taxes.

**How long does it take?** About 30 minutes per month of statements. It's rated "A few steps". There are 3 steps, listed above.

**What do I need before I start?** Just your details for 4 blanks: type of business, months to catch up, your software and your categories. You can skip any, and your AI will ask for them.

**What will I get back?** Categorized, reconciled transactions month by month, a short spending summary and step-by-step entry instructions.

Idea spotted on Reddit, shared by u/txrambler: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1wli0lq/comment/paz7tl7/. The prompt is The Solo Creators' own version.

## Go further

Ready-made skills in the Solo Creators AI Studio (https://thesolocreators.com/studio/) that fit this: Second Brain (Give your AI a memory it reads across every project, so it finally knows your business); Watch It For Me (Drop any video link and get the step-by-step playbook, the full timestamped transcript, and the best quotes. Without watching it).

From AI Use Cases and Prompts by The Solo Creators: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/. Free to use; please link back to the page when you share it.