GLS Reconciliation Troubleshooting

Last reviewed: 09/09/2011
Article ID: R10904

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

Performing a reconciliation should be as simple as specifying a statement beginning balance, statement ending balance, statement date and marking the transactions included on the bank statement as cleared in the Reconciliation window. However, there may be instances when reconciling the bank account is not that simple. This article provides troubleshooting information for the Reconciliation program.

Statement Beginning Balance & Calculated Beginning Balance Do not Match

When starting the Reconciliation program, GLS compares the Statement Beginning Balance and the Calculated Beginning Balance. If the Statement Beginning Balance and the Calculated Beginning Balance do not match, the following message is displayed when the Reconciliation is started:

Note: The calculated beginning balance does not match the beginning balance you entered from your statement.

The Statement Beginning Balance is entered by the user based on the beginning balance shown on the bank account statement.

The Calculated Beginning Balance is determined by taking the closing balance from the chart of accounts for the month prior to the Statement Date. From that balance, all unreconciled debits are subtracted and all unreconciled credits are added that occurred before the first day of the statement month. Then, all reconciled credits are subtracted and all reconciled debits are added that occurred on or after the first day of the statement month.

For example, if the Statement Date is a date in May, the Calculated Beginning Balance is determined by taking the closing balance from the chart of accounts for April. From that balance, all unreconciled debits are subtracted and all unreconciled credits are added that occurred before May 1. Then, all reconciled credits are subtracted and all reconciled debits are added that occurred on or after May 1.

The following is a list of possible reasons why the Calculated Beginning Balance and the Statement Beginning Balance do not match and solutions to the problem. These reasons should be regarded only as general guidelines and not as the only possibilities.

A Difference Other Than 0.00 Exists in the Reconciliation Window

In the Reconciliation window, the Reconciliation Balances section includes the figures used to determine the difference between the beginning statement balance, the cleared balance, and the ending statement balance. The formula is:

    Beginning Statement Balance
(-) Total Cleared Credits
(+) Total Cleared Debits
=============================== 
    Cleared Balance
(-) Ending Statement Balance
============================== 
    Difference

The following is a list of possible reasons why a difference other than 0.00 exists in the Reconciliation window. The suggestions should be used only as general guidelines and not as the only possibilities.

Depending on the Group By option selected, there will be up to four Cleared Totals on the Reconciliation Report:

If the Group By option was selected to match the bank statement, these values should match what is available on that statement. For example, if a bank statement has a value for Total Checks & Debits, this number should match the Total Cleared Withdrawals if the All Withdrawals / All Deposits option was selected, or this number would match the total of the Total Cleared Checks plus the Total Cleared Other Withdrawals if an option separating the Withdrawals and Checks was selected.

If these numbers match on the bank statement, then the problem should be one of two things:

If these numbers do not match, then we can look at the following:

If the numbers on the Reconciliation report are higher than the numbers on the Bank Statement, it could be one of the following:

If the numbers on the Bank Statement are higher than the numbers on the Reconciliation Report, look at the following:

If the Beginning Balance, Cleared Balances and Ending Balance all match the bank statement, then run the Data File Integrity Check program (Maintenance | Data File Integrity Check) to rule out discrepancies resulting from possible data corruption.

Locating Missing Journal Entries

If one or more journal entries are not appearing in the Reconciliation window, the following check list can be used to help you determine why the journal entries are missing:

  1. Verify the Statement Date. Only journal entries dated on or prior to the Statement Date will be displayed in the Reconciliation window. To determine if the wrong statement date was entered, click the Settings button in the Reconciliation window. If the wrong statement date was entered in the Reconciliation Settings window, click the OK button to close the Reconciliation Settings window. In the Reconciliation window, click the Postpone button. Then, restart the Reconciliation program. In the Reconciliation Settings window, change the Statement Date and click OK. If the journal entry is still missing, click Postpone to save your progress and return to the task folders.

  2. Verify that the journal entry is in GLS. Use the following list to determine if the journal entry is in GLS.
    1. Service charge or interest must be entered - Make sure journal entries for any service charge or interest that is included on the statement have been entered into GLS.

    2. APS checks must be posted - If integrating with APS, make sure that the Post Checks program has been run with a posting cut-off date on or after the statement date.

    3. Tabs3 payments and costs must be entered - If integrating with Tabs3, make sure that all payment and cost transactions that post to the GLS bank account have been entered.

    4. TAS payments to "FIRM" must be entered - If integrating with TAS, make sure that all payments to "FIRM" that post to the GLS bank account have been entered and a check printed (or a check number entered, in the case of a manual check).

    5. New journal entries added outside the Reconciliation window - Any new journal entries or changes to journal entries made outside of the Reconciliation window when the Reconciliation window is open may NOT be included in the list of journal entries. For example, if another workstation uses File | Open | Journal Entry to add a new journal entry when the Reconciliation window is open, that journal entry will not be included in the reconciliation. To include the journal entry in the Reconciliation, simply close the Reconciliation window and reopen it.

    6. Journal entries with a date after the Statement Date are not included in the Reconciliation window - To determine if the journal entry has a date after the Statement Date, preview a Journal Report. On the Journal tab, specify a date range that includes dates after the Statement Date. In the Preview window, click the Search button to perform a search for the journal entry. For example when performing a search, in the Find field, enter the amount of the journal entry and click the Next button until you locate the journal entry or the search is complete. If you find the journal entry, you can drill down to the journal entry from the Preview window and change the date if desired. Keep in mind that you should also change the date of the corresponding journal entry. Once the date is changed, the journal entry will be displayed in Reconciliation window the next time the window is opened. 

    7. Only unreconciled journal entries are displayed in the Reconciliation window - To determine if the journal entry has already been marked reconciled, preview a Journal Report. On the Account tab, specify the bank account you are reconciling. On the Journal tab, specify a date range that would include all journal entries in GLS. In the Preview window, click the Search button to perform a search for the journal entry. For example when performing a search, in the Find field, enter the amount of the journal entry and click the Next button until you locate the journal entry or the search is complete. If you find the journal entry, drill down to the journal entry from the Preview window and use the following list to determine what you need to do to get the journal entry to appear in the Reconciliation window:

      1. If the journal entry's Reconciled check box is selected and it should not be, clear the check box. A message will be displayed indicating that changing a reconciled journal entry may cause the Calculated Beginning Balance and the Statement Beginning Balance to not match. Click OK. Then, save the journal entry. Once the journal entry is marked unreconciled, the journal entry will be displayed in the Reconciliation window the next time the window is opened.

      2. If the journal entry's Reconciled check box is selected, but the field is dimmed and "Deposited" is displayed next to the Record # field, the journal entry is part of a deposit. When a journal entry is part of a deposit, the entire amount of the deposit will appear in the Reconciliation window. If the journal entry should not be reconciled, the journal entry must first be removed from the deposit (File | Open | Deposit Slips). Once the journal entry has been removed from the deposit, the journal entry will be displayed in the Reconciliation window the next time the window is opened (provided the date of the journal entry is on or prior to the statement date). 

        Note: Journal entries cannot be added or removed from a deposit slip if the deposit is cleared or reconciled.

      3. If the journal entry was created by deleting or reversing an entry in Tabs3, the Reconciled check box cannot be changed and the journal entry will not be displayed in the Reconciliation window. To determine if the journal entry was created by Tabs3, all of the following must be true: 
        • The Reconciled check box is selected.
        • The Reconciled check box is dimmed.
        • "Reconciled" is displayed next to the Record # field.
        • The Source field has a value of "Billing".

        If a journal entry for the amount needs to be reconciled, make sure that there is not another journal entry in the GLS. Another journal entry may be in GLS if a new transaction was entered into Tabs3. If you cannot find another journal entry, you probably need to enter a transaction into Tabs3. Entering a new transaction in Tabs3 will post the corresponding journal entries in GLS. Once the journal entries are posted to GLS, the journal entry will be displayed in the Reconciliation window the next time the window is opened (provided the date of the journal entry is on or prior to the statement date).

      4. If you need to change a journal entry's Reconciled check box and the following are true, contact our Technical Support Department for further assistance.
        • The Reconciled check box is selected.
        • The Reconciled check box is dimmed.
        • "Reconciled" is displayed next to the Record # field.
        • The Source field has a value of "Manual".

    8. Only journal entries for the bank account you are reconciling are displayed in the Reconciliation window - To determine if the journal entry is in GLS but was posted to a different account, preview a Journal Report. On the Journal tab, specify a date range that would include all journal entries in GLS. In the Preview window, click the Search button to perform a search for the journal entry. For example when performing a search, in the Find field, enter the amount of the journal entry and click the Next button until you locate the journal entry or the search is complete. If you find the journal entry and it was posted to the wrong account, you can drill down to the journal entry from the Preview window and change it. Once the account number matches the account number you are reconciling, the journal entry will be displayed in the Reconciliation window the next time the window is opened.

    9. Adding journal entries - If journal entries are missing, journal entries can be added directly to the Reconciliation window by right-clicking and selecting Add. A Journal Entries data entry window will be displayed allowing you to add journal entries. Once the Journal Entries window is closed, the journal entries for the Bank account will be displayed in the Reconciliation window. 

Reconciling Voided Checks

When a posted check is voided in APS, reversing journal entries are created in GLS for the amount of the check with the same check number as the original check. When the original check and the voided check have a date on or prior to the Statement Date, both entries are displayed in the Reconciliation window and are automatically marked "cleared" (i.e., a check mark in the "Clr" column). When a grouping of "Checks" is used, the checks are displayed next to each other.

If the entries have different dates and one of the dates is after the bank statement date, only one of the entries will be displayed in the Reconciliation window. Since both sets of entries need to be marked "cleared" in the Reconciliation window, you can wait to reconcile the entries until they are all displayed in the Reconciliation window. Or, you can manually mark the entries as "reconciled" outside of the Reconciliation program using a Journal Report.

To mark entries as "Reconciled" using a Journal Report

  1. From the Reports menu, select Journal Report
  2. On the Account tab, select the Account #. 
  3. On the Journal tab, specify a date range that would include both sets of entries. 
  4. In the Check # field, specify the check number of the voided check. 
  5. Click OK and preview the report. 
  6. In the Preview window, locate the first journal entry entered in the bank account. Click the Rec #. A Journal Entries window will be displayed. 
  7. Select the Reconciled check box. 
  8. Press Ctrl+S to save the record. 
  9. Close the window. 
  10. Repeat steps 6-9 for the other journal entries to the cash account.

Comparing The GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report to the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet

When the Reconciliation Report is printed with outstanding entries, the last section of the report provides a calculated figure representing the balance in the GLS account as of the last day of the month. The figure is calculated by subtracting outstanding checks and other outstanding withdrawals from the ending statement balance, and adding outstanding deposits to the ending statement balance. This GLS Account Balance can be compared to the Balance Sheet provided the following are true. If the following items are not true, this comparison is not valid. 

When all of the above items are true and the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report and the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet do not match, a deletion or modification of a reconciled journal entry or improper editing of the account balance may be the cause. The following is a list of troubleshooting steps that can be used to determine why the balances do not match:

Note: If the Statement Date is not the end of the month, compare to the Trial Balance report with an Ending Date of the bank Statement Date.

  1. Determine the Amount of the Discrepancy.

    The first step is to determine the amount of the discrepancy between the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report and the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet. This amount may be used later in this series of troubleshooting steps. Once you determine the amount of the discrepancy, write it down and proceed to the next step.
  2. Determine Whether the Calculated Beginning Balance Matches the Statement Beginning Balance.

    The next step is to make sure that the Calculated Beginning Balance matches the Beginning Balance from the statement. To determine if these balances match, start the reconciliation program or print a Reconciliation Report. When the reconciliation program is started, a message will be displayed if these balances do not match. Likewise, this same message is included on the Reconciliation Report if these balances do not match.

    If you receive this message, you must first resolve this issue before you can compare the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report to the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet. The Statement Beginning Balance & Calculated Beginning Balance Do Not Match section of this article may be helpful with resolving this issue.

    If the message is not displayed and the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report does not match the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet, proceed to the next step.

  3. Determine Whether the Balance Sheet and the Trial Balance Match.

    The next step is to confirm that the balance shown on the Balance Sheet has not been improperly edited or adjusted. To do this, print a Trial Balance (Reports | Trial Balance) for the same month as the Balance Sheet. Then, compare the Current Balance shown on the Balance Sheet to the Ending Balance shown on the Trial Balance. 

    If these balances do not match, you must first resolve this issue before you can compare the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report to the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet. KB Article R10984, "Balance Sheet and Trial Balance Do Not Match", may be helpful with resolving this issue.

    If the Balance Sheet and the Trial Balance match and the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report does not match the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet, proceed to the next step.

  4. Determine Whether the Trial Balance is Out of Balance for the Current Year.

    The next step is to determine whether debits and credits are out of balance for the year. To do this, print a Trial Balance for the current year (i.e., your first fiscal month through your last fiscal month) and look for a "Debits and Credits Do Not Balance" message at the bottom of the report.

    If this message appears at the bottom of the Trial Balance for the year, print a Trial Balance for the month you are reconciling and see if the message is displayed. If not, continue printing a Trial Balance for each month prior until you find the most recent month in which this message appears. Then, run a Journal Report (Reports | Journal Report) for all entries for that month and review all entries to locate the source of the discrepancy. Try to determine why the debits and credits do not match for that month. As a starting point, consider previewing the report and using the Search feature to locate a journal entry either in the amount of the discrepancy identified in step 1, or for one half the amount of the discrepancy.

    If this message does not appear and the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report does not match the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet, proceed to the next step.

  5. Determine Whether the Trial Balance is Out of Balance for the Prior or Second Prior Year.

    Note:  When closing out the year, if you did not save all journal entries for the prior or second prior year, skip to step 6.

    The next step is to determine whether the debits and credits are out of balance for the prior or second prior year. To do this, print a Trial Balance for the prior year as well as a separate Trial Balance, if applicable, for the second prior year and look for a "Debits and Credits Do Not Balance" message at the bottom of each report.

    If this message appears at the bottom of the Trial Balance for the prior or second prior year, print a Trial Balance for the last month of the year in question, and see if the message is displayed. If not, continue printing a Trial Balance for each month prior until you find the most recent month in which this message appears. Then, run a Journal Report (Reports | Journal Report) for all entries for that month and review all entries to locate the source of the discrepancy. Try to determine why the debits and credits do not match for that month. As a starting point, consider previewing the report and using the Search feature to locate a journal entry either in the amount of the discrepancy identified in step 1, or for one half the amount of the discrepancy.

    If this message does not appear and the GLS Account Balance on the Reconciliation Report does not match the Current Balance on the Balance Sheet, proceed to the next step.

  6. Print a Journal Report and Review All Entries for the Account

    The next step is to review all journal entries in GLS for the account you are reconciling. To do this, print a Journal Report (Reports | Journal Report) or a General Ledger Report (Reports | General Ledger Report) for the account. Specify a date range that would include all journal entries in GLS. As a starting point, consider previewing the report and using the Search feature to locate a journal entry either in the amount of the discrepancy identified in step 1, or for one half the amount of the discrepancy. Because a journal entry can be made using any prior date, it is possible that an entry has been added for a prior month, or an existing entry for a prior month has been changed. This is especially likely if there was no discrepancy between the GLS Account Balance shown on the Reconciliation Report and the balance shown on a Balance Sheet after reconciling last month.

    Although searching for a journal entry can be time consuming, it is necessary if all other steps have failed to resolve the discrepancy. Call our Technical Support Department if you need assistance printing the report or if you have any other questions.

REFERENCES


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