The small-cap 10-Q close: a 15-day calendar that holds

Small public companies miss deadlines not because the work is impossible but because too much of it lands in the final 48 hours — the disclosure committee sees the draft late, the auditor gets the support late, and the certifications get signed in a panic. A standing calendar fixes that.

Days 1–3: hard close

Lock the sub-ledgers, post recurring and estimated accruals, and run the cut-off. The goal is a trial balance you trust by day three, with reconciliations for every material account already drafted — not started.

Days 4–7: analysis and support

Flux the income statement and balance sheet against prior period and budget, and write the explanation for every variance over threshold while the numbers are fresh. Assemble the audit-support package the reviewer will ask for, so requests are answered before they are made.

Days 8–11: draft the 10-Q

Statements, footnotes, and MD&A drafted together — MD&A should explain the same story the flux analysis already told. Non-GAAP measures reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP figure, per Regulation G and Item 10(e). Tie every number in the narrative back to the financial statements.

Days 12–13: review and certifications

Disclosure committee review, then the CEO and CFO certifications under Sections 302 and 906. The disclosure-controls conclusion (Item 307) and any change in ICFR (Item 308) are settled here, not improvised. Auditor completes its review of the interim statements.

Days 14–15: EDGAR

Final proof, XBRL tagging reviewed for exceptions, and the filing staged on EDGAR with time to spare. A filing that goes out the morning of the deadline, not the night of, is the signal of a finance function in control — which is exactly what your auditor, board, and investors are reading for.