How to Simplify Year-End Reporting Before the Christmas Break

For academy finance teams, the run-up to Christmas is one of the most demanding periods in the calendar. Audit season is in full swing, internal reports are due, governors want clarity, auditors need evidence.. and you’re still managing everyday responsibilities on top.

But year-end reporting doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. With the right systems and a clear approach, trusts can complete essential checks, tidy key areas, and ensure that the transition into the new calendar year is clean and controlled.

Here’s how to simplify your year-end reporting before you head off for the Christmas break — and how XfE helps make the whole process easier.

Start with real-time visibility

The fastest way to simplify year-end is to have live visibility of your finances across every school.

Instead of waiting for month-end updates or relying on spreadsheets that may already be out of date, XfE gives schools and MATs a clear, real-time view of:

• departmental budgets
• variances
• spending patterns
• commitments
• key funding streams

This helps finance teams see exactly where each school stands — and which areas might need attention before the break.

Tidy up your core reconciliations

A smoother year-end depends on a clean foundation. Before December starts to spiral, it’s worth reviewing:

✔ Bank reconciliations:

Are all accounts up to date?

✔ Creditors:

Are there any invoices sitting in the system that should be cleared, posted or queried?

✔ VAT:

Are your VAT returns submitted and balances where you expect them to be?

✔ Accruals & prepayments:

Have major annual items been treated correctly?

Completing these checks now avoids a January rush — and keeps auditors happy when they review your data.

Standardise coding across schools

One of the biggest time-wasters at year-end is correcting inconsistent coding.
Every trust knows the pain of:

• similar transactions posted differently
• departments coded incorrectly
• unusual entries hiding in “miscellaneous”
• double-posted suppliers

XfE helps reduce this through clear structures and trust-wide consistency. When coding is clean, year-end reporting becomes far quicker and far more reliable.

Use in-system KPIs to spot issues early

Instead of waiting for someone to “build the pack”, XfE presents in-system KPIs and dashboards that keep your financial position visible at all times.

This makes it easier to spot:

• overspends
• delayed income
• unexpected variances
• unusual patterns in spend
• schools that may need additional support

Catching issues in November or early December is much easier than trying to fix them once staff and auditors return in January.

Prepare your documentation now, not later

A big part of year-end simplicity is getting your supporting evidence organised early. This includes:

• contracts
• major purchase orders
• loan agreements
• funding documentation
• notes for auditors
• explanations for key variances

When everything is tidy and accessible, the audit moves faster and your January becomes far less stressful.

Communicate early with school leaders

Finance teams often carry the pressure of year-end alone, but they shouldn’t.
Heads of Department and school leaders play a big part in clean data.

Before the break, it helps to remind schools to:

• approve outstanding orders
• submit final mileage or expense claims
• confirm any staffing changes
• review departmental spend
• highlight funding concerns

XfE makes this communication easier by giving leaders the visibility they need without waiting for manual reports.

Plan your January “re-entry”

The first week back in January can be chaotic unless you set expectations ahead of time.

Consider lining up:

• your first reporting date
• deadlines for internal reviews
• key actions needed before AAR work begins
• a checklist for schools
• a schedule for meeting auditors
• known areas to revisit in Xero

A simple plan removes uncertainty and stops year-end from dragging into February.

How XfE makes the run-up to year-end easier

XfE is built to help MATs and schools take control of their financial year — especially during the busiest term.

With XfE, you can:

✔ Access real-time trust-wide reporting

No chasing spreadsheets, no waiting for updates.

✔ Track performance with in-system KPIs

See live variances, spending patterns and departmental trends.

✔ Maintain consistent, accurate data across schools

Cleaner data means smoother reporting and faster audit prep.

✔ Support your audit team more effectively

Clear transaction trails and access via PLANERGY Spend Management keep everything organised.

✔ Reduce the January workload

The more tidy-up you do before Christmas, the easier your January becomes and XfE helps you see what needs attention early.

Final thoughts

Year-end reporting doesn’t have to be stressful. With early preparation, better visibility and the right tools, schools and trusts can finish the year on a high and start the new one with clarity and confidence.

The run-up to Christmas is busy but it’s also the best time to tidy up, check your figures and prepare for a smooth January.

👉 Book a 20-minute XfE walkthrough
See how XfE can help your trust simplify year-end and reduce January pressure.

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