Orient students to the shared workbook, workbook map, deliverable structure, and success criteria
Download the rehearsal workbook before continuing. This is the same data every group will use today.
A strong project workbook does not just contain numbers—it builds an evidence chain. Each sheet has a job. It must prove something that supports the final recommendation. Below is the map for today's rehearsal workbook. Your project workbook in Lessons 08–10 will follow the same structure.
Data
Raw transaction and adjustment data for TechStart's month-end close
Proves: The source numbers that every other sheet depends on
Adjustments
All adjusting entries—accruals, deferrals, depreciation, supplies used
Proves: That every recurring month-end adjustment has been identified and recorded
Trial Balance
Unadjusted and adjusted trial balance with debit/credit verification
Proves: That debits equal credits after adjustments (accounting integrity)
Financial Statements
Income statement, statement of retained earnings, and balance sheet
Proves: That the adjusted numbers produce a complete and accurate financial picture
Closing Entries
Revenue, expense, and dividend closing entries with Income Summary
Proves: That temporary accounts are reset to zero for the next period
Recommendation
Final recommendation statement with supporting evidence and risk acknowledgment
Proves: That the workbook tells a clear business story backed by numbers
Assumptions
Date/version, scenario drivers, and notes about data sources
Proves: That the workbook is auditable—someone else can understand how it was built
This is the quality standard. Every project workbook in Lessons 08–10 must meet these criteria. Today you will check the shared workbook against this list.
- All adjusting entries are recorded and labeled with a clear reason
- Trial balance debits equal credits after adjustments
- Financial statements pull from the adjusted trial balance (no hard-coded numbers)
- Closing entries zero out all temporary accounts correctly
- Post-closing trial balance contains only permanent accounts
- Recommendation statement cites specific workbook numbers as evidence
- At least one risk or limitation is acknowledged
- Assumptions sheet includes date, version, and data source notes
- No broken formulas or #REF! errors anywhere in the workbook
By the end of this rehearsal lesson, you should be able to:
- Name each major sheet in the workbook and explain what it proves
- Trace the recommendation on the Recommendation sheet back to specific numbers in Adjustments and Financial Statements
- Identify at least one weakness or risk in the shared workbook's evidence chain
- List the structures your team must recreate independently in the real project