# Write balance sheet flux explanations for month-end review

Turns period-over-period balance sheet movements into concise, evidence-based explanations a reviewer can sign off on.

- Topic: Finance & Accounting
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Finance, Write, Analyze, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/write-balance-sheet-flux-explanations-for-month-end-review

## Prompt

```text
Help me write balance sheet flux explanations for month-end review.

**Balance sheet, current vs. prior month (and prior year-end):** [PASTE account, balances]
**Review thresholds:** [e.g. "explain changes over $25,000 or 10%"]
**Known activity this month:** [e.g. "drew $500k on the credit line", "bought a forklift", "annual software prepaid", "big customer paid late"]
**Supporting detail I have:** [subledger totals, reconciliations, rollforwards]

Steps:
1. Calculate the change in dollars and percent for each account; mark which exceed the threshold.
2. For each one over threshold, write an explanation that names the driver and quantifies it ("+$62k: annual insurance prepaid $72k, less $10k amortization"), not "timing" or "normal activity".
3. Check that related accounts move consistently (e.g. AR up but revenue flat; prepaid up with no cash outflow; accrued liabilities down with no payment).
4. Flag accounts where the movement doesn't fit the known activity, or where the balance has an unusual sign.

Return:
1. A table: Account | Prior | Current | Change $ | Change % | Over threshold? | Explanation | Support reference.
2. A list of accounts where I need more information, marked [NEED DETAIL].
3. Possible errors or misclassifications to investigate before close.

Only use drivers I gave you. Where the reason isn't known, say so - never fill in a plausible-sounding cause.
```

## What to fill in

- PASTE account, balances
- e.g. "explain changes over $25,000 or 10%"
- subledger totals, reconciliations, rollforwards
- NEED DETAIL

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.