Business insight

How Outsourced Accounting Improves Month-End Close Accuracy for Jordanian SMEs

Improve month-end close accuracy for your Jordanian SME. Discover how outsourced accounting reduces errors and accelerates financial reporting timelines.

The Blu Horizon Editorial Team2026-10-19

Establish a Baseline of Current Month-End Close Performance

Start by measuring four concrete indicators for the last three month‑end cycles: calendar days from period‑end to final trial balance, total re‑work hours logged by the internal team, number of exception‑log entries (e.g., unreconciled bank items, missing invoices), and the absolute trial‑balance variance in Jordanian dinars. These metrics give a quantitative reference point for any outsourced accounting pilot.

This approach applies to finance managers and controllers at Jordanian SMEs that run a monthly close in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or a comparable ERP; the exact scope depends on how many entities, currencies, and intercompany eliminations are included in your close.

Actionable steps

Export the close‑completion timestamps from your ERP for each of the past three periods.
Ask each team member to record hours spent correcting entries after the initial run; sum them per period.
Pull the exception‑log (or create a simple spreadsheet) and count distinct items that required manual follow‑up.
Calculate the trial‑balance variance by comparing the final trial balance to the sub‑ledger totals; note the absolute JOD difference.

Decision artifact

Compile the four numbers into a one‑page baseline table (Period | Close Days | Re‑work hrs | Exceptions | TB Variance). This table becomes the benchmark you will compare against pilot results.

Evidence to request

Collect signed close checklists, the exception‑log export, and the final trial‑balance report for each period. If you engage an external provider later, ask them to supply the same artifacts for their test run so the comparison stays apples‑to‑apples.

Forvis Mazars in Jordan offers outsourced accounting and reporting services that fit with existing functions and support monthly bookkeeping and reporting. This statement only confirms service availability; it does not provide performance data for your specific close process. Primary source

For deeper guidance on selecting and tracking the right KPIs, see Evaluating Accounting System Performance and KPIs for Businesses in Jordan.

Define Accuracy Metrics and Illustrative Targets for the Pilot

Start by selecting four quantitative indicators that can be captured automatically from your ERP and from the outsourced team’s deliverables:

Close‑time reduction – calendar days from period‑end lock to final signed trial balance.
Exception‑log entries – distinct items that required manual follow‑up after the initial run.
Trial‑balance variance – absolute JOD difference between the final trial balance and the summed sub‑ledger totals.
Re‑work hours – total staff hours spent correcting entries after the first close pass.

For each metric record the baseline value from the previous three months (see the baseline table you built). Then set illustrative pilot targets that reflect a realistic improvement you would consider worthwhile. Example (hypothetical):

Close‑time reduction: aim for a 20 % drop in days.
Exception‑log entries: target a 30 % fewer items.
Trial‑balance variance: shrink the absolute JOD gap by 40 %.
Re‑work hours: cut total correction time by 25 %.

These percentages are not market standards; they are placeholders for you to replace with company‑specific thresholds derived from your own cost of delay, audit risk, and staff capacity. Document the chosen targets in a one‑page “Pilot Metric Sheet” that lists baseline, target, and actual pilot result columns.

Decision artifact: the completed Pilot Metric Sheet becomes the evidence you will compare against the baseline. Evidence to request from the provider: a signed close checklist, the exception‑log export, the final trial‑balance report, and a time‑sheet showing hours spent on re‑work for the pilot period. If any metric moves in the wrong direction (e.g., exception count rises), treat that as a failure mode and revisit the hand‑off scope before deciding on full engagement.

Design a Two‑Week Outsourced Accounting Pilot Workflow

Start by selecting a single month‑end cycle that is representative of typical volume. Agree with the provider on the exact hand‑off date (usually the day after period‑end lock) and on the data package: trial‑balance export, sub‑ledger CSV files, and the bank‑statement PDF for the period.

Day 1‑2: Internal team uploads the package to the shared folder and fills the exception‑log template (columns: reference, description, owner, due date).
Day 3‑5: Provider imports the files into Business Central, runs the bank reconciliation, and posts adjusting entries. Bank reconciliation in Business Central matches bank statement lines to ledger entries to ensure that the books match the bank statements. — Microsoft Learn documentation on Business Central bank reconciliation. This describes the reconciliation function; it does not guarantee that all month‑end exceptions will be eliminated.
Day 6‑7: Provider returns a signed close checklist, the completed exception log, and a final trial‑balance report.
Day 8‑10: Internal controller reviews the deliverables, records re‑work hours, and notes any deviations from the agreed SLA (turnaround ≤ 48 hours after hand‑off).
Day 11‑14: Both parties hold a brief retrospective, update the Pilot Metric Sheet, and decide whether to expand scope.

Define the SLA in writing before the pilot starts; a typical target is a 48‑hour response for exception resolution, but the exact threshold should reflect your own cost of delay. Document the chosen SLA and the hand‑off checklist in a one‑page pilot charter. For a broader view of how outsourced accounting can also sharpen cash‑flow forecasting, see our guide on outsourced accounting for cash‑flow forecasting.

Bank reconciliation in Business Central matches bank statement lines to ledger entries to ensure that the books match the bank statements. Primary source

Execute the Pilot and Collect Evidence

Assign a single owner for each metric before the pilot starts. The finance manager records baseline close‑time, re‑work hours, exception‑log count, and trial‑balance variance on a shared Pilot Metric Sheet. The outsourced provider logs hand‑off timestamps, reconciliation completion time, and any SLA breaches in the same sheet.

Daily hand‑off log – internal team notes date, file set, and exception‑log template completion.
Provider reconciliation report – signed checklist, completed exception log, and final trial‑balance PDF returned within the agreed turnaround window.
Controller review sheet – internal controller records re‑work hours spent correcting provider entries and flags any deviations from the SLA.

At the end of each pilot week, both parties hold a 30‑minute retrospective. Update the Pilot Metric Sheet with actuals, note root causes for any missed SLA, and decide whether to continue, adjust scope, or stop. Keep all signed deliverables (checklists, exception logs, trial‑balance reports) in a version‑controlled folder; these constitute the acceptance evidence for the go/no‑go decision.

Define your own decision threshold before the pilot: calculate the cost of a delayed close or an error‑induced restatement, then set a minimum acceptable improvement (e.g., % reduction in close time or exception count) that justifies the outsourcing expense. Treat any numeric target in this guide as hypothetical and illustrative; the final cutoff must reflect your company‑specific baseline and cost structure.

Compare Pilot Results Against Baseline Using a Decision Checklist

After the two‑week pilot, place the baseline and pilot numbers side‑by‑side in a one‑page comparison table. Use the same four metrics you captured: close‑time (hours), re‑work hours, exception‑log entries, and trial‑balance variance (JOD).

Close‑time reduction – pilot hours ÷ baseline hours.
Re‑work hours change – pilot re‑work ÷ baseline re‑work.
Exception‑log count change – pilot exceptions ÷ baseline exceptions.
Trial‑balance variance change – pilot variance ÷ baseline variance.

Next, run a go/no‑go checklist. Do not assume a market savings rate. Measure your workflow baseline, repeat the same method and volume after the pilot, and document the data source and cost before converting a difference into financial value.

☐ All four ratios meet or exceed the pre‑set improvement thresholds.
☐ No SLA breach remained unresolved at pilot close.
☐ Signed provider reconciliation reports, completed exception logs, and final trial‑balance PDFs are archived.
☐ Internal controller confirms re‑work hours did not increase.
☐ Finance manager signs off on the briefing note summarising findings, risks, and recommendation.

If every box is ticked, prepare a one‑page briefing note for senior review: state the metric deltas, note any deviation root causes, and recommend proceeding to a full‑scale engagement. If any item fails, document the gap, decide whether to adjust scope and re‑pilot, or stop. The decision threshold remains yours to set; do not adopt an external benchmark without internal cost justification.

Request a Tailored Proposal and Plan Full‑Scale Engagement

After the two‑week pilot, compile a one‑page summary that shows the baseline and pilot figures for the four metrics you tracked: close‑time (hours), re‑work hours, exception‑log entries, and trial‑balance variance (JOD). Attach the signed provider reconciliation reports, the completed exception‑log template, and the final trial‑balance PDF as evidence.

Email this package to The Blu Horizon Accounting Services at the address listed on their website, referencing the pilot period and the specific month‑end tasks that were outsourced. Ask for a customized proposal that outlines the scope of ongoing support, the service‑level agreement (SLA) for turnaround times, and an implementation roadmap that includes data‑hand‑off procedures, training for your internal controller, and a schedule for monthly review meetings.

Include in your request a brief note that states:

The measured improvement for each metric (e.g., X % reduction in close‑time, Y % drop in exception‑log entries).
Any deviations observed during the pilot and their root‑cause analysis.
Confirmation that no SLA breach remained unresolved at pilot close.
That internal re‑work hours did not increase.

The Blu Horizon is among Jordan’s distinguished companies and works with more than 50 companies and organizations, including large companies and organizations.

Once you receive the proposal, review it against your internal cost baseline and the decision thresholds you set before the pilot. If the proposed fees and expected accuracy gains meet your criteria, sign the engagement letter and schedule the kickoff meeting to begin full‑scale outsourced accounting.

For further guidance on selecting an accounting system that supports outsourced workflows, see our guide on evaluating and choosing an accounting system in Jordan: a KPI and performance guide.

To start the conversation, visit The Blu Horizon Accounting Services and submit your pilot summary.

Frequently asked questions

How can a Jordanian SME measure the accuracy of its current month-end close process?

Accuracy is measured by tracking four indicators: calendar days to final trial balance, total re-work hours, the number of exception-log entries, and the absolute trial-balance variance in JOD. Finance managers should export ERP timestamps and log correction hours to establish this baseline. Create a baseline table to track these metrics.

What specific metrics should be used to evaluate an outsourced accounting pilot?

Evaluation should focus on close-time reduction, the number of exception-log entries, trial-balance variance in JOD, and total re-work hours. These quantitative indicators allow for a direct comparison between internal performance and provider results. Document these in a Pilot Metric Sheet before starting the trial.

What does a typical two-week outsourced accounting pilot workflow look like?

The workflow involves a data hand-off (Day 1-2), provider reconciliation and posting in the ERP (Day 3-5), and delivery of signed checklists and reports (Day 6-7). The final week is dedicated to controller review and a retrospective. Define a written SLA for response times before beginning.

How do I decide if the outsourced accounting pilot was successful?

Success is determined by comparing pilot results against your pre-defined baseline using a go/no-go checklist. Verify if the reduction in close-time, exceptions, and variance meets your company-specific thresholds and ensure re-work hours did not increase. Archive all signed reconciliation reports as evidence for the final decision.

What information should be included when requesting a full-scale proposal from The Blu Horizon?

Include a summary of the pilot's metric improvements, root-cause analysis of any deviations, and confirmation that all SLA breaches were resolved. Attach the signed reconciliation reports and final trial-balance PDFs as evidence. Submit this package via the website to receive a customized implementation roadmap.