End-of-Year Checklist for Flooring Stores

A practical year-end closeout guide for flooring retailers who want a cleaner, more profitable start to the new year

As the year wraps up, most flooring retailers are busy—but not always buttoned up. Jobs are still open, inventory isn’t perfectly reconciled, and payments slip through the cracks.

Before January hits, it’s worth taking one focused hour to make sure nothing important gets dragged into the new year.

Below is a practical, no-nonsense end-of-year checklist we recommend to every flooring store.

Customers & CRM

A clean customer database sets the tone for Q1.

• Merge or remove duplicate customer records
• Identify your top customers from the past year
• Send a quick thank-you or follow-up before year-end
• Flag past customers to re-engage in Q1 (estimates, remodel timing, service reminders)

Why it matters: clean CRM data improves follow-ups, repeat business, and reporting accuracy.

Financials & POS

Small gaps here turn into big headaches later.

• Reconcile bank accounts and card processing statements
• Confirm outstanding balances and automate payment reminders
• Review sales tax collected vs. owed
• Validate COGS, margins, and payment processing fees

Why it matters: clean books mean fewer surprises for your accountant—and faster decisions in January.

Product & Inventory

Inventory accuracy affects cash flow and customer trust.

• Count inventory, remnants, and special-order materials
• Remove discontinued or dead stock
• Print new QR code or barcode labels
• Update pricing to reflect supplier increases or freight changes

Why it matters: accurate inventory prevents overselling, underpricing, and lost margin.

Jobs & Orders

Open jobs hide risk.

• Close completed jobs that are still marked “open”
• Review installs, punch lists, and backorders
• Confirm deposits collected and final payments scheduled
• Flag any jobs that could impact January cash flow

Why it matters: unfinished jobs distort revenue reporting and delay cash collection.

Team & Operations

Year-end is the right time to tighten access and payouts.

• Review commissions and installer payouts
• Confirm subcontractor balances
• Remove access for former employees
• Document recurring process issues to fix in Q1

Why it matters: clear roles, clean access, and documented fixes save time immediately.

Marketing & Systems

Know what actually worked.

• Review lead sources (Google, referrals, paid ads, walk-ins)
• Compare spend vs. closed revenue
• Identify the top 1–2 channels worth doubling down on

Why it matters: most flooring stores overspend on channels that don’t convert.

Planning Ahead

Start the year with intention.

• Set revenue and gross margin targets
• Identify bottlenecks to eliminate
• Decide what tools, processes, or reports to simplify
• Commit to fewer systems—not more

Final Thought

The flooring stores that start the year clean move faster, collect more, and avoid fire drills in January.

If you want help tightening any of this up—or want to see how other flooring retailers handle year-end closeout with Service Buddy—don’t hesitate to ask.

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