1. Transaction categorization proposals
When to use it: When uncoded transactions pile up before close.
Inputs: The uncoded transaction export, your category list, 2-3 past examples per tricky category.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper. Categorize each transaction below into our expense categories. For each: category, one line on why, and a confidence mark - sure, or check. Put anything odd (personal-looking, unusually large, unknown vendor) in a separate list with your question. If a vendor name is cryptic, make your best guess and mark it "check". End with totals per category so I can sanity-check.
Our categories: [paste your list]
The transactions: [paste: date, vendor, amount]Expected output: Coded transactions with a short list to check.
Boundary: It codes from vendor names; you confirm the check ones.
Ready-made: the Transaction Categorization Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
2. Bank reconciliation matching
When to use it: On close day, before the exceptions find you at 6pm.
Inputs: The statement export and the ledger export.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper reconciling a bank statement. Match the bank lines to the book entries below. Give me: matched pairs, bank lines with no book entry, book entries with no bank line, and any amounts that almost match but don't (likely typos or fees). For each unmatched item, one line on the most likely cause as a question to check, not a fact. End with: the adjusted difference, and whether the accounts reconcile to zero.
Bank statement: [paste lines: date, description, amount]
Book entries: [paste]Expected output: A match list and exactly what's left unexplained.
Boundary: It matches what you paste; you chase the real answer.
Ready-made: the Reconciliation Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
3. Invoice reminder drafts
When to use it: Weekly, for every open receivable.
Inputs: Your open invoice list with amounts and due dates.
Starting prompt:
Write 3 payment-chasing emails for this overdue invoice: a friendly reminder (day 1 overdue), a firmer one (day 14), and a final notice (day 30). Rules: each under 80 words, always include the invoice number, amount, and how to pay, polite but increasingly direct. The final one states what happens next [late fee / paused work / collections - your policy]. No threats, no "gentle reminder", no fake warmth.
Client name: [..]
Invoice number and amount: [..]
Days overdue: [..]
What happens after final notice: [your policy]Expected output: 3 send-ready chasers that keep the relationship.
Boundary: You send them, and you decide when it escalates.
Ready-made: the Receivables Follow-up Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
4. Bills capture and duplicate check
When to use it: As bills arrive, before month-end surprises.
Inputs: The new bills (text, amounts, vendors, dates), your recorded bills sheet.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper checking for duplicate bills. Compare these bills and flag likely duplicates: same vendor with the same or near amount, the same invoice number entered twice, or the same date and amount with a different reference. For each flag show me the two entries side by side and your confidence. Also flag near-duplicates that might be legit (monthly rent, subscriptions) but worth one check. End with: the total at risk of double payment.
The bills: [paste: vendor, invoice number, date, amount]Expected output: A short flag list with side-by-side evidence.
Boundary: It flags; you confirm with the vendor before deleting.
Ready-made: the Bills & Invoices Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
5. Month-end close checklist
When to use it: First day of close, every month.
Inputs: Your close steps, the accounts in scope, last month’s checklist.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper. Build my month-end close checklist for [month]. Every step with owner and due day, in the order it has to happen: bank feeds matched, bills entered, invoices sent, payroll posted, reconciliations done, accruals checked, reports reviewed. Mark which steps block the others. Then turn it into a table I can reuse every month, and flag the 3 steps that usually slip.
How we work: [team size, who does what]
Last month's pain: [what went wrong]Expected output: A reusable close checklist with owners and slip risks.
Boundary: You adjust it to your books the first month.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
6. Vendor spend summary
When to use it: When a client or owner asks where the money went.
Inputs: The categorized transaction export for the period.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper. Summarize this vendor spend for the quarter: total per vendor, month-by-month trend, vendors whose spend jumped more than [20%] and why (more transactions vs bigger ones), duplicate-ish vendors that might be the same company (ABC Ltd vs ABC Limited), and the top 5 to renegotiate. End with a one-paragraph summary for the owner.
The transactions: [paste: date, vendor, amount]Expected output: A vendor league table with trends and renegotiation targets.
Boundary: It summarizes what you paste; contract calls are yours.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
7. Duplicate payment sweep
When to use it: Quarterly, or after any system migration.
Inputs: The payments export for the period.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper checking payments that already went out. Compare these payment records and flag: the same invoice paid twice, the same amount to the same vendor within [7] days, round-number repeats that don't match the billing cycle. For each flag: the two payments side by side, the likely cause, and the exact recovery step (vendor credit, refund request, offset against the next bill). Total the recoverable amount at the end.
Payments: [paste: date, vendor, invoice, amount]Expected output: A flag list with recovery steps and a recoverable total.
Boundary: It flags; you confirm with the vendor before clawing back.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
8. Client report pack assembly
When to use it: Month-end, per client, when the pack is due.
Inputs: The period’s approved reports and the client’s preferred format.
Starting prompt:
You are a bookkeeper preparing a client's month-end pack. From the exports below, assemble: the P&L summary in 5 lines, balance sheet highlights in 3, the 5 largest transactions with one-line explanations, anything that needs the client's decision (uncoded items, unusual spend), and a short cover note in plain words. List every number you couldn't find as a question instead of guessing.
The exports: [paste]
Client context: [industry, what they care about]Expected output: A client-ready pack with a decision list.
Boundary: You review before the client sees a number.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
Quick comparison
| Workflow | Effort | Cadence | Risk | Ready-made agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Transaction categorization proposals | One paste per run | Per close | Draft-first, review before use | Transaction Categorization Agent |
| 2. Bank reconciliation matching | One paste per run | Per close | Draft-first, review before use | Reconciliation Agent |
| 3. Invoice reminder drafts | One paste per run | Weekly | Draft-first, review before use | Receivables Follow-up Agent |
| 4. Bills capture and duplicate check | One paste per run | Monthly | Draft-first, review before use | Bills & Invoices Agent |
| 5. Month-end close checklist | One paste per run | Per close | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 6. Vendor spend summary | One paste per run | Per event | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 7. Duplicate payment sweep | One paste per run | Quarterly | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 8. Client report pack assembly | One paste per run | Monthly | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
Free download
Get the Reconciliation checklist (CSV) - the companion file for these workflows, with sample rows filled in.
Platform notes
Hermes Agent is a third-party product (https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com). We are not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Capabilities and names verified 2026-09-13; re-check before relying on specifics. The prompts above are platform-agnostic - they work in any capable assistant.
Want the job done instead of prompted? Browse the bookkeepers agent menu or the AI agents for bookkeepers guide.
Questions people ask
Are these Hermes Agent workflows free?
Yes - every item includes a starting prompt you can copy free. Matching free standing agents are linked where they exist.
Are you affiliated with Hermes Agent?
No. AI Agent Skills is an independent store; Hermes Agent is named only because these workflows run on it. Facts checked 13 September 2026.
Last updated 13 September 2026 · Reviewed by the AI Agent Skills team.