Month-end is easier when you can trace each document to the relevant financial record and project. In TidyOne, check unanalysed files and AI proposals, compare records, open Documents → Not sent, select the files your accountant needs, and download or share them. Use Mark sent only after you actually send the files. Then open Reports, set the exact monthly date range, and review missing information. “Sent” is your internal status; it is not proof that an accountant received or accepted the files.
Why does month-end take so much time for small nonprofits?
Invoices arrive by email, receipts live on phones, a sponsorship agreement is in another folder, and some payments are visible only in bank records. An organization supporting one person must also keep surgery, therapy, transport and equipment expenses distinct. At month-end, sorting those records by hand invites omissions and duplicated entries.
This guide describes a repeatable process. TidyOne does not automatically deliver every file to your accountant or automatically reconcile the bank statement. It provides a central archive, review tools, filters, multi-select, sharing, internal sent status and reports so you can complete those checks deliberately.
What you will have at the end
Before you start: agree on the period and the required files
Open the Association workspace in single-beneficiary mode. Gather invoices, receipts, relevant sponsorship agreements, donation evidence and the bank statement for the period. Ask your accountant exactly which files and originals they require: local law, organizational structure, and funding agreements can change the answer.
Set a clear window, such as 1–31 August, and decide whether you are reviewing invoice dates, payment dates, or both. An August invoice paid in September may belong in different operational checks. Never change a date simply to make two totals appear to match.
Documents → Accountant → Month-end: the complete workflow
Step 1 — Capture files as they arrive
From most app pages, choose Add → Image/PDF / Document, then Choose file/PDF or Take a photo. You can also upload in Documents. Keep the source readable, including document number, issue date, supplier and total. Avoid uploading the same invoice twice merely because you have both a scan and a PDF.
In single-beneficiary mode, TidyOne can use the primary beneficiary as the default context. You still need to check the project and optional fund. A therapy invoice should go to the intended therapy project rather than an unrelated fund.
Step 2 — Resolve unanalysed files and pending AI reviews
In Documents, check Not analyzed by AI and AI analyzed. For a pending suggestion, open Review and confirm. Compare the supplier, number, date, total, currency, line items and category with the original. Correct uncertain fields before confirming.
Check whether the document already created a financial record. If you entered the same payment manually, avoid generating another expense. Our invoice → AI → expense → project guide explains unclear totals, duplicate payments and unpaid invoices in greater depth.
Step 3 — Match each file to the correct financial activity
Open the relevant finance and project pages. For every significant expense, check its document, amount, currency, date and project. For every donation or sponsorship, verify the source and intended purpose. Uploading transfer evidence should not create a second donation when the same income is already recorded.
If an expense spans two projects, review the real allocation and discuss any accounting treatment with your accountant. Linking a document to a project is an organizational aid, not automatic compliance. See donation → project → fund → report for a separate walkthrough of fund purpose and available balances.
Step 4 — Filter and select exactly what needs to be sent
In Documents, review the period and any project or category filters. Choose Not sent to view files not yet marked as shared. Use Select unsent or the selection circle on each card to build your package. The selection bar shows the count and offers Share, Download, Mark sent, and Clear.
Review the list before sending. “Not sent” can include files from earlier periods, so it does not automatically mean “all documents for this month”. Agree the actual package with your accountant. Consider whether medical and other sensitive personal records are necessary for this purpose.
Step 5 — Send the actual attachments
Click Share. On compatible phones or tablets, Choose an app and attach the files uses the device's native share capability, including the actual PDFs or images if the browser supports it. Review the files in the receiving app before sending.
On desktop, TidyOne can prepare the email subject and body and offers Download selected files. Download the documents and attach them manually to the email. Opening Gmail or Yahoo with a pre-filled message does not mean the documents are automatically attached. For WhatsApp or secure links, consider recipient access, link expiry and whether the channel is appropriate for the data.
Step 6 — Mark sent after the files have left your device
After a share action, TidyOne may ask whether to mark the selected documents as sent. Confirm only if delivery was genuinely initiated with the correct files. You can also use Mark sent in the selection bar. The app records an internal sent timestamp; later you can filter Sent versus Not sent. If you only downloaded files or copied an email subject, leave them unmarked until they are actually sent.
Step 7 — Build and check the report for that month
Open Reports. Choose Accounting report for an operational accounting review or Project / funder report to focus on a particular need. Select Custom in the period control, enter the first and last day of the month, then choose a project or fund only if you need a narrower view. Click Update report.
Check income, expenses, balances, supporting-document status, donors and funds. Review incomplete or missing information. Keep currencies separate; TidyOne does not invent exchange rates or automatically collapse all currencies into a single balance.
Depending on your active plan, you may have PDF / Print, Transaction CSV and Accounting ZIP package. You can also request an AI narrative draft, but review every statement and figure before sharing. Some exports and features are plan-dependent.
Example: six files and two currencies in one month
This fictional nonprofit supports a single person and is closing August. It has four purchase documents, one sponsorship agreement and one donation receipt. The actual financial activity must still be matched separately with bank records.
| Document | Amount | Project | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapy invoice | 700 RON | Therapy | Total and payment evidence |
| Transport invoice | 120 RON | Transport | Trip date and payment |
| Supply receipt | 180 RON | Daily support | Readable receipt and category |
| Accommodation invoice | 100 CHF | Travel and accommodation | Currency and payment proof |
| Sponsorship agreement | — | Therapy | Terms and required paperwork |
| Donation evidence | 1,000 RON | Therapy | Matches one, not two, income entries |
These figures do not prove that every invoice was paid or every donation cleared. Match the report's balance with the actual transactions, date range and bank records. If five of the six files were actually sent, keep the sixth visible in Not sent rather than marking everything just to make a dashboard indicator look complete.
Month-end checklist
Where AI helps and where human review matters
AI can extract invoice and receipt fields and propose a category, but you confirm the structured data. In AI Coach you can ask, for example, “Find August's transport invoice” or “What total appears on supplier X's document?” When explicitly asked about files, the current version can consult a limited number of relevant documents and identify which ones it used. Do not assume it read your entire archive or that its narrative draft is an official financial statement.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
I opened Gmail, marked everything sent and forgot the attachments
Download the files and send a complete message with the actual attachments. Your TidyOne status is an internal record; correct your process and notify the recipient if needed.
I accidentally included files from earlier months
Review the selected dates and files before exporting. “Not sent” does not automatically mean “this month only”. Select exactly the relevant items.
AI created an expense that was already entered manually
Compare the document with financial activity before confirming or creating a second entry. Correct duplicates and coordinate with the accountant when data was already exported.
The report is missing donations I know we received
Check the period, project and fund filters, contacts and transactions without a project link. Overly narrow filters can hide valid activity.
A medical PDF contains sensitive personal details
Only send documents necessary for the stated purpose. Avoid oversharing health information through unsuitable messaging or link-sharing channels. Agree a secure process with the organization and accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send several PDFs and photos at once?
Yes. In Documents, use the selection circles or “Select unsent”, then “Share” or “Download”. Review the selected files before sending.
Does desktop Gmail automatically include the PDF attachments?
Do not rely on that. TidyOne normally opens a pre-filled message, but the actual files need to be downloaded and attached manually. Native file-sharing works only on compatible devices and browsers.
Does downloading a file mark it as sent?
No. Downloading is not sending. Mark it after you actually transmit the documents.
Does “Sent” mean the accountant accepted the files?
No. It is your organization's internal status. Acknowledgement and accounting acceptance remain separate.
Can I close the month for one project only?
Yes. Review the relevant documents, then in Reports choose the custom date range and project/fund. Check for any legitimate unallocated transactions too.
What about documents in more than one currency?
Keep amounts in their original currencies. TidyOne does not automatically convert them into a single total; any required conversions must be checked separately.
Is the accounting ZIP package a complete legal filing?
Not necessarily. It is an organizational export. Your accountant determines which originals, bank statements, contracts, registers and formats are required in your jurisdiction.
Read the connected workflows
Choose a month, review documents, actually send the file package and compare the report with your records. Repeat the routine each month.
For EU-funded grants: the European Commission explains why supporting records and documentation matter. These grant obligations do not automatically apply to every nonprofit. Follow your own agreement and local rules.
Tell us which step needs a clearer example.
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