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Reconciling Bank Transactions

Step-by-step guide for starting a reconciliation period, reviewing unmatched and matched transactions, and checking reconciliation history.

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Reconciling Bank Transactions

This page shows you how to start a reconciliation period, review unmatched and matched transactions, and use the history table to confirm whether the bank and ledger agree.

Product: Beam Machine
Module: Banking -> Reconciliation
Role: Bookkeeper, Accountant, Finance Lead
Difficulty: Intermediate
Time: 10 minutes first time, then depends on transaction volume
Last Updated: 2026-03-10
Version: Current Beam Machine app build in this repo

Before You Start

  • You need access to the Banking module.
  • The bank statement transactions should already be imported.
  • You need the bank account, period start, period end, and statement balance.
  • Read ../modules/04-working-in-banking.md if you need the wider banking context first.

What is reconciliation?

Reconciliation is the check that proves your bank statement and your accounting records describe the same money movement. In Beam Machine, the reconciliation page separates unmatched transactions, matched transactions, and reconciliation history.

When do you use this?

Use this task after you import statement data and before you sign off the bank position for the period. If you skip reconciliation, the bank balance in your books may look correct while the supporting movement is still wrong.

Where to find it

Primary path: Finance -> Banking -> Reconciliation
Route: /dashboard/banking/reconciliation

How to reconcile bank transactions

  1. Open Banking from the left sidebar.
  2. Click Reconciliation.
  3. Click Start Reconciliation.
  4. In Bank Account, select the correct bank account.
  5. In Period Start, enter the start date.
  6. In Period End, enter the end date.
  7. In Statement Balance (cents), enter the statement balance in cents.
  8. Click Start Reconciliation.

āœ… Checkpoint: The page should refresh and show the current unmatched and matched transaction sets, plus the reconciliation history table if records exist.

  1. Review the Unmatched Transactions card first.
  2. Check the date, description, and amount of each unmatched item.
  3. Review the Matched Transactions card to confirm which items already align.
  4. Review the Reconciliation History table for statement balance, ledger balance, difference, matched count, unmatched count, and status.
  5. Investigate any non-zero difference before treating the period as resolved.

What happens next: A successful reconciliation cycle gives you a visible period history that can be reviewed later. The goal is not just a clean screen. The goal is a defensible bank position.

Common Questions & Issues

"I started the reconciliation, but I still see many unmatched transactions"

Why this happens: Starting the reconciliation period does not magically match every line. It creates the reconciliation context so you can review the bank and ledger relationship.

Fix: Work through the unmatched set and confirm whether the issue is missing ledger activity, timing, or bad source data.

"The difference is not zero"

Why this happens: The statement balance and ledger balance still do not agree for the selected period.

Fix: Review the unmatched transactions, then review the ledger and imported statement lines for missing, duplicated, or misclassified activity.

"I do not know whether the amount field uses rands or cents"

Why this happens: The Statement Balance input currently expects cents.

Fix: Convert the value before entering it. If the statement balance is R15,000.00, enter 1500000.

What's Next

Related Pages

SA Compliance Reference

  • Reconciled bank records support accurate financial statements, audit evidence, and tax reporting. This page explains the screen workflow, not your firm's signoff standard.

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