How bank feeds and reconciliation work in software
Bank feeds and reconciliation, explained
Notes on how bank transactions arrive in small business software and how they get matched to your records. Each page covers one part of the job, from the first feed to a balance that won't agree. It explains the ideas and leaves the buying to you.
Written for owners and staff of small businesses who do their own books or check someone else's.
All the notes
What a bank feed is and how transactions get into your softwareA bank feed copies your bank's transaction lines into your accounting software. Here's what it does, what it doesn't, and what you need before it works.
What bank reconciliation means and why businesses do itBank reconciliation compares your records with the bank's. Learn what the two sides are, what should agree, and why differences appear.
How software matches bank lines to your recordsAutomatic matching compares bank lines with records you've entered. See what it looks at, why it suggests a match, and when to check it yourself.
Bank feed or statement file import: how they differNo feed for your bank? You can usually still reconcile from a downloaded file. Here's how a feed and a statement file import differ.
Reconciling a month step by stepA plain walk through one reconciliation session, from gathering what you need to the final check that your books and the bank agree.
When the balance won't match: common causesA difference at the end of a reconciliation usually has a short list of causes. Check these first, in order, before you change anything.
Bank rules explained: sorting repeat transactions automaticallyBank rules sort repeat transactions using conditions you set. See how they work, what to put in one, and what can go wrong.