Capstone templates

Use these templates to keep your capstone deliverables consistent and easy to review. They are intentionally “accountant-friendly”: short, structured, and focused on audit trail.

If you used the Track D scripts, you can attach their artifacts from outputs/track_d as supporting evidence.

1) Close & Controls Pack templates

Bank reconciliation (summary)

Bank reconciliation — [Bank name] — [Period end]

Ending bank statement balance:      $__________
Add: deposits in transit:           $__________
Less: outstanding cheques:          ($_________)
Less: bank fees/interest not posted ($_________)
Adjusted bank balance:              $__________

Ending book cash balance:           $__________
Add/Less: corrections posted:       $__________
Adjusted book balance:              $__________

Difference (should be 0):           $__________

AR tie-out checklist

AR tie-out checklist
[ ] AR subledger total equals AR control account
[ ] Aging report dated as-of period end
[ ] Credit memos and returns reviewed
[ ] Cutoff: last week invoices vs shipments checked
[ ] Top 10 balances confirmed or reviewed

AP tie-out checklist

AP tie-out checklist
[ ] AP subledger total equals AP control account
[ ] Vendor statements reviewed (top vendors)
[ ] Cutoff: receiving reports vs invoices checked
[ ] Duplicate payments scan performed
[ ] Accruals documented (payroll, taxes, utilities)

Corrections log (minimum)

timestamp,issue_type,source_table,record_id,proposed_fix,posted_fix,reviewer,notes
2026-12-31,duplicate,gl_txns,1234,"remove duplicate row","removed",TA,"duplicate import"

Exception report (minimum)

check_name,status,records_flagged,threshold,who_reviewed,notes
duplicate_txn_scan,ok,0,>0,TA,
negative_inventory,flag,3,>0,TA,"investigate stocking + COGS timing"
unusual_margin_swing,flag,1,>10pp,TA,"promo month likely"

2) Analysis-ready Dataset templates

Data dictionary (minimum)

table_name,column_name,type,definition,allowed_values,source
gl_txns,txn_date,date,Transaction date,,qbo export
gl_txns,account_name,string,Chart of accounts name,,qbo export
gl_txns,debit,float,Debit amount,>=0,qbo export

Assumptions log

assumption_id,description,value,units,why_it_matters,owner,created_at,expires_at,notes
A001,"AR collection lag",28,days,"drives cash receipts timing",Analyst,2026-01-01,2026-06-30,"based on last 6 months"

3) Performance analysis templates

Variance drivers worksheet

metric,period_a,period_b,delta,primary_driver,evidence,next_check
gross_margin,0.41,0.36,-0.05,"discounting",promo calendar + unit prices,review pricing strategy

Regression / driver model write-up (short)

Model purpose:
- What decision or forecast input is this model supporting?

Variables:
- Outcome: __________________________
- Predictors: ________________________

Interpretation (no causal over-claiming):
- "Holding other predictors constant, a 1-unit change in X is associated with..."

Diagnostics:
- [ ] residual pattern checked
- [ ] outliers / one-offs reviewed
- [ ] stability across time checked

4) Forecast Pack templates

12-month rolling forecast (structure)

Forecast pack should include:
* A baseline forecast (simple, explainable)
* At least 3 scenarios (base / downside / upside)
* A backtest summary (recent months)
* Assumptions log (what changed, why)
* Reconciliation check: P&L, BS, and cash tie-out consistent

13-week cash forecast (direct method)

scenario,week_start,begin_cash,cash_in,cash_out,net_change,end_cash,buffer_breach,notes
base,2026-01-06,25000,18000,21000,-3000,22000,False,

Backtest summary (minimum)

metric,window,mae,mape,notes
revenue,6_months,12000,0.08,"baseline seasonal naive"

Scenario summary (one page)

Scenarios
- Base: key assumptions...
- Downside: what changes (volume, margin, collections, costs)...
- Upside: what changes...

Stress tests (binary events)
- Supplier delay (inventory + sales impact)
- Collections slowdown (AR days)
- Payroll shock (hiring or overtime)

5) Decision memo template

CFO-style recommendation memo (1–2 pages)

Title: North Shore Outfitters — Recommendation for [Period]

Executive summary (5–7 sentences)
- What is happening?
- What do we recommend?
- What impact range do we expect?

Situation snapshot (bullets)
- Revenue: ________ (trend + key driver)
- Margin: ________ (what moved)
- Cash: ________ (13-week outlook + buffer risk)

Recommendation (actions)
1) Action: ____________________
   Expected impact: ____________ (range)
   Risks: ______________________
   Owner: ______________________
   First check-in: ______________

Monitoring plan (KPIs)
- KPI 1: ________ (thresholds + cadence)
- KPI 2: ________

Assumptions and limitations
- Top 3 assumptions that could change the conclusion

KPI dictionary (minimum)

kpi_name,definition,formula,source_table,source_columns,owner_role,update_cadence,threshold_green,threshold_yellow,threshold_red,notes
Gross margin,"(Revenue-COGS)/Revenue","(rev-cogs)/rev",statements_is_monthly,"Sales Revenue;Cost of Goods Sold",FP&A,Monthly,>0.40,0.35-0.40,<0.35,"promo months expected"

Dashboard spec (minimum)

view_name,kpi_name,chart_type,grain,filters,owner_role,refresh_cadence,notes
exec_summary,Gross margin,line,monthly,"scenario",FP&A,Monthly,

Red-team checklist

Red-team checklist
[ ] Numbers tie out: P&L, BS, and cash are consistent
[ ] One-offs identified and labeled
[ ] No causal claims without a design
[ ] Units and signs checked (cash in vs cash out)
[ ] Assumptions log updated and owned
[ ] Risk monitoring plan has thresholds + owners