BUSINESS IN THAILAND / RESOURCE
Good bookkeeping starts with complete, traceable evidence. These checklists help a business owner or finance coordinator collect the right records, explain unusual transactions and resolve missing information before the accountant closes the period. Adapt them to your activity, tax registrations and agreed service scope.
Information reviewed 13 November 2026 · Pimaccounting
Monthly accounting document checklist
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| Area | Collect | Check before handover |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Invoices, receipts, credit notes, POS or booking exports and settlement reports | Sequential records, cancellations, dates, deposits and gross versus net receipts |
| Purchases | Supplier invoices, receipts, credit notes and expense approvals | Correct company details, business purpose, period and duplicate documents |
| Bank and cash | All bank statements, card statements, cashbooks and payment evidence | Every account included; transfers between own accounts identified |
| Tax | Tax invoice reports, withholding certificates and prior filing receipts | Return period, missing certificates and reconciliation to ledgers |
| Payroll | Approved pay changes, attendance, commissions and starters/leavers | Authorised inputs and an explanation of changes |
| Balance-sheet items | Loans, deposits, assets, inventory and intercompany schedules | Supporting agreements, movement and reconciled closing balances |
Open the monthly document collection worksheet. Give each exception an owner and follow-up date. Do not silently replace a missing invoice with an unrelated receipt.
Make documents easy to trace
Use consistent filenames or document IDs linking the source file, ledger entry and payment. Retain original files and a readable copy where necessary. A bank statement proves a movement of funds but may not establish the nature, VAT treatment or business purpose of an expense.
Separate reimbursements, personal spending, shareholder funding and intercompany transfers from routine supplier transactions. Explain cash payments and unusual entries rather than forcing them into a generic expense category. The bookkeeping guide explains how these records feed the accounts.
Payroll changes before each pay run
- Confirm the period, pay date and approved employee roster.
- Record starters and leavers with effective dates and supporting approvals.
- Approve salary changes, attendance, overtime, commissions and other adjustments.
- Review tax and social-security inputs for the relevant employee and period.
- Separate preparation, approval and payment responsibilities.
- Check the final payroll against the prior month and explain significant differences.
Use the payroll input and change worksheet with employee reference codes. Transfer sensitive employment and banking records through an agreed secure channel, not in an unprotected public worksheet or email chain.
Annual close and auditor preparation
Agree the timetable early enough to resolve evidence requests before approval and filing dates. Prepare bank reconciliations, aged receivables and payables, inventory records, asset movements, loan schedules, tax reconciliations and related-party balances. Identify disputes, commitments and events after year-end for professional review.
Management remains responsible for the underlying records and decisions. An auditor’s work is a separate engagement with its own evidence requirements. A prepared file supports the process but does not guarantee an unqualified opinion. Use the annual close worksheet and annual accounts and audit guide.
Changing accountants without losing the audit trail
Set a transfer date and identify which provider handles each open period. Obtain ledger exports, trial balances, reconciliations, fixed-asset and tax schedules, filed returns, receipts and the list of unresolved matters. Confirm ownership and authorised transfer of system access separately from document delivery.
The accountant handover worksheet records what was requested, received and checked. Receiving a folder is not the same as verifying opening balances. Follow the full changing-accountants process for responsibilities and the first close.
Add the documents your sector needs
- Restaurants and cafés: POS totals, delivery settlements, stock movements and service-charge records.
- Hotels and tourism: booking ledgers, deposits, room revenue and OTA commissions.
- Spas and beauty businesses: package balances, redemptions, commissions and stock.
- Ecommerce: order exports, payment settlements, refunds, returns and inventory.
- Agencies and consultants: contracts, milestones, retainers, expenses and project costs.
Define what “complete” means
Give the preparer a document checklist and the reviewer a list of reconciliation and approval steps. Mark each item as received, checked, not applicable or outstanding. Keep an explanation for items marked not applicable and preserve the final version of the checklist with the period’s accounts.
If the same evidence is missing repeatedly, fix the collection process at the source. Train the team on the required document, clarify the cutoff and agree escalation. The aim is a reliable monthly routine, not a growing list of unresolved exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
Can a bank statement replace every supplier invoice?
No. It supports the payment trail but may not prove the nature of the supply, required tax particulars or the business purpose. Obtain and review the underlying documents.
Should every business use the same checklist?
Use the core categories, then add sector, entity and registration requirements. A hotel, online store and consulting firm generate different source records.
What if a document cannot be recovered?
Record the missing item and the attempts to recover it, retain available evidence and obtain advice on the appropriate accounting and tax treatment. Do not fabricate supporting documents.
Who should sign off the monthly package?
Agree the roles in the engagement. A finance coordinator may assemble it, while an authorised manager approves the business explanations, payroll and final decisions.
Official references and further reading
- TFAC — Accounting Act B.E. 2543 (English translation)
- TFAC — financial reporting standards for non-publicly accountable entities
- Revenue Department — VAT registration and tax invoices, sections 85–86
Reference review: 13 November 2026. Read current legislation, authority notices and case-specific requirements alongside this practical guide. Older manuals may contain superseded filing channels or rates. Service scope, professional fees, government charges and third-party costs should be confirmed separately.
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