Performing a Bank Reconciliation [CATS Knowledge Base]

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===== Performing a Bank Reconciliation =====
The **Bank Reconciliation** feature of CATS lets you compare and correct the transactions in your General Ledger so that it properly matches your bank statement.
{{entry>0;Bank/Reconciliation;-}}{{entry>0;Bank/Statements;-}}{{entry>0;Transactions/Clear;-}}{{entry>0;Transactions/Unclear;-}}

==== Select the Statement Period and Entering Values ====

To begin, select **Accounting > Bank Reconciliation** from the main menu.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_access.png|Accessing the Bank Reconciliation Area}}]

CATS will ask for a bank code and a statement month and year. Press Apply after entering them to proceed.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_selectmonth.png|Enter the bank account and the statement period.}}]

CATS will pull up the information for the specified period. Below we have a statement month with no bank statement information entered.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_emptymonth.png|Enter the numbers from your bank statement in the provided fields.}}]

Fill in the numbers from your bank or credit card statement, then select **Tools > Recalculate Bank Totals** to update the value for this period from CATS.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_recalcbanktotals.png|Recalculate all values for the month.}}]

CATS updates the dialog to reflect all the items that have been entered into CATS. This includes those processed through the [[cats:procedures:accounting:importtransaction|Importing Bank Transactions]] tool.

==== Fixing Discrepancies ====

On this month, CATS is showing a discrepancy of $4000.00 between the bank statement and CATS. 
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_discrepancyoncredit.png|The bank statement dialog shows a discrepancy.}}]

We can use the tools menu to print a list of outstanding transactions, or the current statement, and compare that to the bank statement. Once you have found the issue, you can add [[cats:procedures:accounting:transactions:enteringreceipts|make adjustments to the transactions]] in the **Accounting > Data Entry** area, then return to the Bank Rec to check the totals again or clear the items you entered.

We can add the transaction with the appropriate bank month on it, as shown below.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_statementmonthoncreditentry.png||Adding a receipt with a Bank Statement month}}]

After you pick **Apply** and enter the deposit details, CATS will ask you to confirm the statement month. Pick **Yes** to continue.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_confirmmonth.png|Confirm the Statement Month.}}]

This has the same effect as described in the clearing process below.

==== Clearing a Transaction ====

For our example, we have added the $4000.00 deposit that now must be cleared. 

Clearing a transaction in CATS means placing the bank statement year and month on it. This tells CATS to put that transaction against the totals for that month. The process of linking a transaction to a particular bank statement is usually taken care of via the import transactions tool.

To manually clear deposits select '**Tools > Clear Transactions Current > Deposit Slips** from the menu. (You can also clear **Receipts** or **Disbursements**)
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_clearcurrentdepositslips.png|Select Clear Transactions Current to manually clear transactions with the bank.}}]

CATS will display a list of uncleared transactions. You can select one or more transactions at a time. In our case, we have just the single transaction we entered. Select the transaction from the list, then pick Continue.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_clearadeposit.png|Select the transaction to clear from the list.}}]

Transactions from previous months can be cleared if using the **Clear Transactions History** menu choice. Occasionally, items that have been incorrectly cleared need to be removed from the month. Use the **Unclear Transactions Current** or **Unclear Transactions History** tools to accomplish this.

Having entered and cleared the missing transaction, we can now see on the bank reconciliation dialog that the bank totals match. We can also see the ending balance that will be used as the next month's opening balance.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_endingbalance.png|Completed bank reconciliation with an accurate opening balance for next month.}}]

<note important>You will need to enter the statement's ending balance in the next month's opening balance field. You can use the **Tools > Next Month** menu option to move directly to the next month and enter that value.</note>\\ 
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_openingbalance.png|Manually enter the Opening Balance for the month}}]

==== Printing Statements and Outstanding Listings====

If a discrepancy is difficult to find or reconcile, or to see a printed record of transactions, you can print the Bank Statement or the Outstanding Listing. Choose **Tools > Outstanding Listing** to print a list of transactions that have not yet been cleared in CATS. 
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_outstandinglistingmenu.png|Select Outstanding Listing from the menu to print}}]

CATS will give you options for how to display the transactions. Pick an order option to continue. 
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_printorder.png|Pick an order of transactions to continue.}}]

You may print the report to a text file, preview on screen, or print to the printer. Choose an option then pick **Select** to proceed.
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_printoutputmenu.png|Select a print output option to continue.}}] 

Here is a sample list of transactions. Disbursements will be on the first page(s), followed by credits. 
[{{:cats:procedures:bankrec:bankreconciliation_outstandingprintout.png|Printout of outstanding transactions}}]

Select the printer icon from the toolbar menu to print a list that has been printed to a preview window. 

The Statement List works in the same way, displaying the transactions that have been cleared either by importing, entering the bank statement on entries, or clearing entries. 

Once all items match the statement, the Bank Reconciliation is finished.

{{tag>"bank reconciliation" "reconciliation" "bank statement" "clear transactions" "outstanding transactions" "bank months"}}