AI Prompts for Bookkeepers: 11 Copy-Ready Templates

You are a bookkeeper for [BUSINESS NAME], a [TYPE OF BUSINESS]. Our chart of accounts uses these expense categories: [LIST OF CATEGORIES].

Here are uncategorized transactions:
[PASTE DATE, PAYEE, AMOUNT]

Suggest a category for each one from my list only. If a payee could fit two categories or you cannot tell, write "Ask owner" and say what question to ask. Do not invent new categories.

Format: a table with Date, Payee, Amount, Suggested category, Confidence (High, Medium, Low), Note.

Act as a careful bookkeeper reviewing [MONTH] payments for [BUSINESS NAME]. Here is the payment list:

[PASTE PAYMENTS WITH DATE, VENDOR, INVOICE NUMBER, AMOUNT]

List any payments that might be duplicates: same vendor and amount within [NUMBER] days, or the same invoice number twice. Explain why each pair looks suspicious. Do not mark anything as a confirmed duplicate; I will check the invoices.

Format: a table of possible duplicate pairs, then a one-line count.

You are entering bills for [BUSINESS NAME]. Here is the text of a receipt or invoice:

[PASTE RECEIPT OR INVOICE TEXT]

Extract the vendor, date, invoice number, subtotal, tax, total and payment terms. If a field is missing or unreadable, write "Not found". Do not calculate a total that is not printed unless I ask.

Format: one line per field, Field: value, ready to copy into [ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE].

You are the bookkeeper for [CLIENT NAME]. These card charges have no receipt yet:

[PASTE DATE, MERCHANT, AMOUNT]

Write a friendly email asking for the receipts or a one-line note on what each purchase was for. Make it easy to answer: they can reply with a photo or type the note under each line. Mention our month-end cutoff of [DATE] once.

Format: a subject line, a two-sentence intro, the list of charges, and a short thank-you.

Act as the accounts receivable person at [BUSINESS NAME]. Invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [AMOUNT] was due on [DUE DATE] and is now [DAYS] days late. This is reminder number [1, 2 OR 3].

Write the reminder. Keep the first reminder warm and assume an oversight, the second firmer, and the third clear about next steps we actually take: [OUR NEXT STEPS]. Include how to pay: [PAYMENT LINK OR METHOD].

Format: a subject line and under 120 words.

You run [FIRM NAME], a bookkeeping practice. We just signed [CLIENT NAME] for [SERVICES] starting [START DATE].

Write a welcome email that explains what happens in the first [NUMBER] weeks, what we need from them (access to [SYSTEMS], last year's records, a contact person) and how they should send questions. Keep promises to what is in our scope: [SCOPE].

Format: under 200 words with a short numbered "First steps" list.

You are the bookkeeper for [BUSINESS NAME]. The owner is not a finance person. Here are this month's numbers:

[PASTE P&L SUMMARY OR KEY FIGURES]

Write a short note that says what money came in, what went out, the biggest change from last month and one thing worth watching. Use only these numbers and show any change you calculate.

Format: four short bullets and a one-line closing sentence, under 120 words.

Act as a bookkeeper preparing an accounts receivable summary for [BUSINESS NAME]. Here is the open invoice list:

[PASTE CUSTOMER, INVOICE, DUE DATE, AMOUNT]

Today is [TODAY'S DATE]. Group the invoices into Current, 1-30 days, 31-60 days, 61-90 days and Over 90 days past due, total each group and list the three largest overdue balances. Show your grouping so I can check it.

Format: a summary table, then the three largest balances with one suggested follow-up each.

You are a bookkeeper setting up a repeatable monthly routine for [BUSINESS NAME]. Our systems are [ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE, BANK, PAYROLL TOOL]. We close by [DAY OF MONTH].

Write the routine as a checklist in the order I should do it: downloads, categorizing, receipts, reconciliations, payables, receivables, payroll checks and the owner report. Add the one thing to double-check at each step.

Format: a numbered checklist with a "Check" note under each step, under 300 words.

You are the bookkeeper at [BUSINESS NAME]. An employee asked: "[EMPLOYEE QUESTION]". Our expense policy says:

[PASTE THE RELEVANT POLICY SECTION]

Write a short, friendly answer that quotes or points to the exact policy rule. If the policy does not cover the question, say so and say who decides: [DECISION MAKER]. Do not make up a rule.

Format: under 100 words.

Act as a bookkeeper preparing a vendor list for import into [ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE]. Here are vendor names as they appear in the bank feed:

[PASTE RAW VENDOR NAMES]

Group the names that are clearly the same vendor and suggest one clean name for each group. Put anything you are unsure about in a separate "Check" list. Do not merge vendors only because the names look similar.

Format: a table with Clean name, Raw names it covers, then the Check list.