What good looks like
What a monthly reporting pack can contain
A monthly reporting pack is management accounts plus a few extra pages that help the owner decide what to do next. This page lists the extras some businesses add.
The short answer
There is no official list of what a monthly reporting pack must contain, and no law requires one. Beyond the management accounts, a pack can add a few key measures, how long customers take to pay you and how long you take to pay suppliers, the cash position, an updated forecast and a short commentary. The list below is our draft, for our reviewer to check.
| Item | What it shows | When it may be worth adding |
|---|---|---|
| Key measures | A handful of numbers that matter to this business, such as sales per month, gross margin, orders in hand or staff costs as a share of sales | When the owner wants to see at a glance whether things are on track |
| Debtor days | How long, on average, customers take to pay you | When the business sells on credit and cash is tight |
| Creditor days | How long, on average, you take to pay suppliers | When suppliers are pressing, or you want to check you are not paying earlier than you need to |
| Aged debtors list | Who owes you money, and for how long | When chasing unpaid invoices is part of the month's work |
| Cash position | Cash in the bank at month end, any overdraft or loan, and how this compares with last month | In our view, every month, because a profitable month can still leave a business short of cash |
| Forecast update | The cash forecast and budget updated for what actually happened this month | When the business has a forecast, or is borrowing or growing |
| Commentary | A short note in plain words: what changed, why, and what needs a decision | In our view, every month. Figures without a note are harder to act on. |
Where this list comes from
The ICAEW says businesses need to "plan ahead and compare forecast figures with actual results", and names "Break-even analysis, business ratios, budgets and discounted cash flow" as some of the methods that can be used. It also says a comparison of performance figures with budget, together with key ratios, helps decide whether plans need to change.1 It lists "Maximising receipts from customers" and "Managing payment to suppliers" among the things a Chartered Accountant can advise on.1
The specific items in the table, and the advice on when to add them, are our judgement. We have not found an official list or a survey of what UK businesses put in their packs.
Keep it short
A pack is useful only if someone reads it. A few pages that the owner understands can do more than a long pack nobody opens. If you are not sure what to include, ask your accountant which three or four numbers would tell you the most about your business, and start with those.
Who prepares it
Some accountants prepare a monthly pack as part of their service. Others provide management accounts only, and a management accountant or part-time finance director adds the forecast and commentary. See Part-time finance director and When a finance director may help.
Questions to ask your accountant
- Which of these could you add to what you already send us, and what would that cost?
- By which working day after month end could we have it?
- Can you include a short note on what changed and why?
About this standard
This page describes what a pack can contain. It is a working list drawn from published guidance and our own judgement, not a rule your accountant must follow. How our standards work.
Sources
- ICAEW, "Managing your business" (Find a Chartered Accountant, help with your business). icaew.com. Checked 12 October 2026.