It's a cyclical process, obviously. And sometimes it rotates like a tornado through the center of the St. Louis office.

But the Corporate team? They're weather experts — well conditioned to any storm that hits in its path, closing week being no exception.

“It’s a little crazy (on closing week), definitely,” Datamax Inc. Controller Sheryl Scott says. “Everybody’s running around, to copiers and printers, trying to get things done as quickly as they can.”

On a typical closing week:

• The mail is getting checked regularly for checks to be opened and processed, ensuring everything balances in the system.
• Research is being done into figuring out exactly what’s being paid.  
• Inventory invoices are being matched up to receiving reports showing the warehouse got it in.
• Advertising invoices, expense reports, all the third party invoices go through the approval process from branches, coded, and entered into the system.
• On the accounting side, questions are addressed: “How should we bill this?” “How can I set up new tax codes for new customers?”
• Purchasing is busy trying to get in last minute orders.
• Leasing is doing the same.

“There’s a lot of cross training in place all the time, whether it’s me or (Staff Accountant) Adam Smith stepping in with something or helping. It’s A LOT of teamwork,” Sheryl says. 

3 Key Elements To the Period-Closing Process.

1. Teamwork tops the list.

“If one person happens to be slow that day, which is not likely, it’s critical to say ‘just because I’m in good shape, that doesn’t mean everybody else is,’” Sheryl said. “ The question should be: 'How can I help?"

2. Being responsive to each branch.

“Obviously, things are a lot more time sensitive in that last week,” Sheryl said.

The St. Louis makes it a point to ensure they are up to speed on the Friday before closing week begins. On that Monday, it’s critical, Sheryl said, that phone calls are being answered, emails are being responded to.

“If they’re trying to bill a new customer and the zip code is not set up, they’re on hold until we get back with them,” Sheryl said. “It’s critical that we get a quick answer.”

3. Keep moving .. no matter what.

“If you don’t have anything pressing, or it doesn’t have anything to do with closing, put your’s aside until next week and see what you can do to help,” Sheryl said. “You can’t let up. You can’t take a break. Even if you’re waiting on those checks to come in the mail… there’s always AP to be done. It doesn’t stop. Keep things moving.”