How Reconciliation Works

DocuClipper reconciles a bank statement by reading the printed start balance and end balance, summing the extracted credits and debits, and checking that end balance − start balance = credits − debits. A period gets a green Reconciled badge when that math matches and every page of the file that lists transactions is covered by a period.

If the equation doesn't balance, or other pages of the file list transactions that are in no period, DocuClipper shows a red Not Reconciled badge. Common causes are a misread balance, missing or wrong transactions, swapped debits and credits, a multi-account or multi-period statement that needs assignment, transactions on other pages of the file that aren't in any period, or a file that holds only some of the statement's pages.

How does DocuClipper reconcile a bank statement?

The check runs in three steps:

1. DocuClipper reads the start and end balance from the statement.

2. Next, DocuClipper adds up all the credits and debits in the statement.

3. If “end balance” - “start balance” is equal to “credits” - “debits”, and the periods cover every page of the file that lists transactions, the statement is reconciled and DocuClipper displays a green Reconciled badge next to the statement summary:

What does it mean when the job is “not reconciled”? #

Sometimes DocuClipper isn’t able to reconcile the statement. When this happens you’ll see a red badge:

Here are a couple of reasons that can prevent DocuClipper from reconciling the statement:

1. The start or end balances have been detected incorrectly.
2. DocuClipper wasn’t able to read the start or end balances.
3. Balances are correct but there are missing or wrong transactions.
4. DocuClipper can’t reconcile this statement type yet. E.g. different language, non-supported bank statements
5. DocuClipper is experiencing issues when interpreting multi-account statements.
6. Debit/Credit has been swapped.
7. Your statement contains multiple periods, and DocuClipper has consolidated them into a single period.
8. Pages of the statement are not in the file you uploaded, or a page was uploaded twice.
9. Transactions on other pages of the file aren't in any period.

Transactions on other pages that aren't in any period #

A file can hold more than one statement period or account, such as a twelve-month export or a combined checking and savings statement. DocuClipper checks that the extracted periods cover every page that lists dated transactions. When a period's own numbers add up but other pages list transactions that are in no period, that period shows Not Reconciled, because the extraction is not the whole file. Look through the PDF for the months or accounts that are missing from the Account and Period selectors, and add them or contact support. Entering a period's start or end balance yourself makes the badge follow that period's math again.

Why a period doesn't reconcile #

When the selected period is not reconciled, a line under the balances says why, in plain words. DocuClipper checks the statement itself and names the first causes it finds:

• Pages missing from the file. Most statements print their page count, such as "Page 4 of 7". DocuClipper compares it with the pages in your file and names the missing ones, for example "Pages 3 and 4 of 4 are not in the uploaded file."
• A page uploaded twice. "Page 5 of the file repeats page 2."
• Printed totals that differ from the transactions. "The statement lists 14,793.91 of deposits but the transactions found add up to 12,336.19 (2,457.72 short)." The short or over amount tells you what to look for.
• A balance that was not found. The opening or closing balance is not on any page of the file, often because page 1 or the last page is missing.
• A break between statements. In a file with several months, a statement that opens at a different balance from the previous statement's closing balance.
• A difference only. When none of the above applies, the line gives the balance the transactions lead to, the printed closing balance, and the difference to look for.

A period that prints no opening or closing balance cannot be checked at all. It shows No balance to reconcile, and a grey line says why it can't be checked, for example that only some of the statement's pages are in the file:

The line follows your edits. When you correct a balance or a transaction, it is worked out again, and it disappears once the period reconciles. When pages are missing, download the complete statement from your bank and upload it again. A file with several statements is checked statement by statement. If a statement reconciles without its last pages (they are often terms and disclosures), no line is shown.

Pages you leave out at upload #

You can untick pages before converting, such as a card statement's summary page, so they are not converted or charged. DocuClipper still reads the opening and closing balance printed on a page you left out of a digital PDF and checks the converted transactions against them. If transactions also sit on the pages you left out, the period shows Not Reconciled, because those transactions are not in the result. Include those pages, or enter the balances that match the pages you kept.

Fixing Errors to Reconcile the Statement #

1. If the start or end balances are wrong, click the pencil icon next to the balance figure and enter the correct value. DocuClipper re-runs the reconciliation check immediately.

2. DocuClipper displays the uploaded statement in the summary panel. Use the Document, Account, and Period selectors to navigate multi-account or multi-period statements. The Period list shows each file's statements in calendar order, earliest first, even when the PDF has them newest first or out of order, and the earliest period opens by default. Transactions that appear missing may be under a different account or period selector.

3. To fix a wrong transaction, click the pencil icon on its row and edit the value. To add a missing transaction, click Add transaction at the bottom of the table. See the detailed guide.

4. If your statement includes multiple accounts or periods, you can assign transactions accordingly. See Assigning transactions to multiple accounts and periods.

5. If debits and credits appear swapped, click the row options and choose Switch credits/debits. See Debits and credits backwards.

What to do if there are lots of Errors? #

While we strongly encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with the platform, it remains our duty to ensure the optimal experience for all our customers. Our dedicated team continuously strives to enhance the system, and we highly value your feedback and suggestions. In the event of multiple errors, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support team.

FAQs

How does DocuClipper reconcile a bank statement?

DocuClipper reads the start and end balance from the statement, sums all credits and debits, and confirms that end balance minus start balance equals credits minus debits. When the totals match and the periods cover every page of the file that lists transactions, the statement gets a green Reconciled badge.

What does a red Not Reconciled badge mean?

The totals do not match, or other pages of the file list transactions that are in no period. Common causes include misread start or end balances, missing or wrong transactions, swapped debits and credits, multi-account or multi-period statements that need manual assignment, transactions on other pages that aren't in any period, or unsupported statement formats.

How do I find out why a statement didn't reconcile?

Select the period. The line under the balances says why it doesn't reconcile, for example which pages are missing from the file, which printed total the transactions fall short of, or how far the transactions land from the closing balance.

Why does DocuClipper say pages of my statement were not uploaded?

The statement prints its page count ("Page 4 of 7") and your file has fewer pages than that. Upload the complete statement your bank issues, with every page, and it can reconcile.

How do I fix a wrong start or end balance?

Click the pencil icon next to the balance figure and enter the correct value. DocuClipper re-runs the reconciliation check immediately.

My debits and credits look reversed. How do I fix that?

Click the row options on a transaction and choose Switch credits/debits. For bulk fixes, select multiple rows first and use the bulk Switch Credits/Debits action.

When is a whole document marked Reconciled?

Each account and period is checked on its own. A period with no opening and closing balance shows No balances to check, because there is nothing to check it against. That is normal for account-activity exports, payment lists and direct-debit reports. If the statement does print its balances, enter them as the period's start and end balance with the pencil icon and DocuClipper checks the period right away. The document gets the green Reconciled badge when every period that could be checked reconciles. If the only periods that could be checked have no activity, while the document's transactions sit in periods with no printed balance, the document shows Not Reconciled so you know to review those transactions.

What does the Summary account badge mean?

Some corporate card statements, such as BMO corporate Mastercard statements, open with the company's own account and then list one account per cardholder. The company account's balance includes every cardholder's purchases, and the statement says so under the balance. Its own transactions are only the company-level items, such as the payment and the statement fee, so they can never add up to that balance on their own.

DocuClipper marks that account Summary account. It is neither Reconciled nor Not Reconciled: its transactions and printed balances are extracted as usual, and each cardholder account is checked on its own. The document is Reconciled when every cardholder account reconciles. If you enter a different opening or closing balance for the summary account with the pencil icon, DocuClipper checks it against its own transactions from then on.

What if my statement covers multiple accounts or periods?

Use the Document, Account, and Period selectors above the transactions table to navigate. Periods are listed by date, earliest first, whatever their order in the PDF. Transactions that look missing may simply be filed under a different account or period and can be reassigned manually.

What should I do if there are too many errors to fix manually?

Contact the support team. They can review the statement and either ship an extractor improvement or help reconcile the file directly.