What is balance sheet reconciliation?

Balance sheet reconciliation is the process of verifying the balance sheet accounts with the corresponding transactions and supporting documentation. Simply put, this process ensures that a company’s financial statements are accurate.

The objectives of balance sheet reconciliation are:

• Identify and correct errors: find any discrepancies or errors in the balance sheet accounts and ensure that the financial statements accurately reflect the company’s financial position
• Detect fraud: thoroughly review and reconcile accounts to uncover potential fraud or unauthorized transactions
• Maintain accurate records: ensure that the balance sheet accounts are up-to-date and reflect the company’s assets, liabilities, and equity accurately 

The balance sheet reconciliation process typically involves the following steps:

• Obtain account balances: retrieve the current account balances from the general ledger or accounting system
• Gather documentation: collect relevant documentation, such as bank statements, invoices, receipts, and other supporting materials for each account
• Compare and reconcile: match the account balances against the collected documentation, identify and investigate any discrepancies
• Adjust entries: make necessary corrections to resolve discrepancies and ensure that the balance sheet accounts accurately reflect the supporting documentation
• Document the process: create a record of the reconciliation process, including any adjustments made for audit trails and future reference

Frequently asked questions

Is balance sheet reconciliation an important process?

Balance sheet reconciliation is indeed an important process for every business for several reasons:

• It ensures the accuracy of the balance sheet accounts, which are crucial for reliable financial reporting
• It helps identify and correct errors, discrepancies, or irregularities in the financial records, preventing them from compounding over time
• It serves as a control measure, helping detect potential fraud or unauthorized transactions

How frequently should balance sheet reconciliation be performed?

It is generally recommended to perform reconciliations on a regular basis, such as monthly or quarterly, to ensure the timely identification and resolution of any discrepancies.

The actual frequency of balance sheet reconciliation may vary depending on the company’s size, industry, and other requirements. 

Who is typically responsible for performing balance sheet reconciliation?

Typically, accounting or finance specialists perform balance sheet reconciliation.

In smaller companies, this responsibility may fall on the accountant or bookkeeper. Larger companies may build dedicated reconciliation teams.