Project Kickoff: Your Group's Month-End Scenario
Today your team moves from guided rehearsal into independent project work. Each group receives its own month-end closing scenario. Your workbook must follow the exact structure from Lesson 07.
In Lesson 07, every group rehearsed with the same teacher-provided dataset. Today that changes. Each team receives a unique month-end closing scenario with its own transactions, adjustments, and business story.
Sarah at TechStart Solutions built the month-end wizard framework you practiced. Now your team applies that same structure to a real business scenario. Your audience is the same: an investor or client who needs to trust that your workbook is accurate, auditable, and tells a clear financial story.
What stays the same: workbook architecture, sheet names, evidence chain, Definition of Done, and communication standard.
What changes: your group's dataset, the specific adjusting entries, and the recommendation your team builds.
- Complete a full month-end close for your group's unique scenario
- Build an evidence chain from raw data through financial statements
- Write a recommendation supported by at least three cited workbook numbers
- Identify at least one risk or limitation in your analysis
- Produce a workbook suitable for investor or client review
- Preserve the Lesson 07 sheet structure exactly
- Populate Data and Adjustments sheets with your group's numbers
- Create Trial Balance skeleton with proper column headers
- Begin the Recommendation sheet with a draft direction statement
- Document assumptions, version, and data source on the Assumptions sheet
Group 1
TechStart Solutions — Q4 close with prepaid insurance adjustment
Download unit02-pbl-month-end-wizard-g1.csvGroup 2
GreenLeaf Consulting — Year-end with accrued revenue recognition
Download unit02-pbl-month-end-wizard-g2.csvGroup 3
BlueWave Manufacturing — Month-end with depreciation and supplies
Download unit02-pbl-month-end-wizard-g3.csvGroup 4
Summit Retail Corp — Period close with unearned revenue deferral
Download unit02-pbl-month-end-wizard-g4.csvGroup 5
NorthStar Services — Month-end with accrued wages and prepaid rent
Download unit02-pbl-month-end-wizard-g5.csvGroup 6
Apex Digital Agency — Year-end with bad debt and depreciation
Download unit02-pbl-month-end-wizard-g6.csvYour project workbook uses the exact same sheet structure as the Lesson 07 rehearsal workbook. Do not rename tabs, remove sheets, or change the architecture. Only the data and resulting analysis will differ.
Data
Raw transaction and adjustment data for your group'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
Save your workbook using this exact format:
Unit02_Lesson08_Group[Number]_[ShortScenarioName].xlsxExample: Unit02_Lesson08_Group3_BlueWaveManufacturing.xlsx
Missing workbook? Re-download your group's assigned CSV file from the dataset section above and rebuild from your Lesson 07 notes.
Before class ends today, your team must meet all of the following criteria. Your teacher will check each item.
- Correct workbook downloaded, opened, and renamed using the naming convention
- Assumptions sheet completed with group name, date, version, and scenario summary
- Data sheet populated with your group's assigned dataset numbers
- Adjustments sheet started with at least 3 identified adjusting entries and reasons
- Trial Balance skeleton created with column headers (no broken formulas)
- One draft recommendation direction statement (not final—just a working claim)
- Receive and organize (5 min): Download your group's dataset. Rename and save your workbook using the naming convention above.
- Assumptions sheet (5 min): Fill in group name, date, version, and a 2-3 sentence summary of your scenario.
- Data sheet (10 min): Enter all transaction values from your group's CSV file. Verify totals match the source.
- Adjustments sheet (15 min): Identify at least 3 adjusting entries your scenario requires. Record each with a clear reason (accrual, deferral, depreciation, etc.).
- Trial Balance skeleton (5 min): Create column headers for unadjusted and adjusted trial balance. Do not populate numbers yet—that is Lesson 09.
- Draft recommendation direction (5 min): Write 1-2 sentences stating the direction your team's recommendation is heading. This is a working claim, not the final version.
- Teacher check-in (5 min): Review your workbook against the Milestone 1 acceptance criteria with your teacher.
- Workbook file saved with correct naming convention
- Assumptions sheet filled in completely
- Data sheet contains all group dataset values
- Adjustments sheet has at least 3 entries with clear reasons
- Trial Balance sheet has proper column structure
- Draft recommendation direction statement written (1-2 sentences)
In Lesson 09, your team will complete the remaining sheets—Trial Balance, Financial Statements, Closing Entries—and finish the Recommendation sheet with cited evidence and risk acknowledgment. You will also run a peer critique and rehearse your demo.
Bring to Lesson 09: your completed Milestone 1 workbook, any notes on adjustment reasoning, and your draft recommendation direction statement.