How to review a bank statement reconciliation exception

A reconciliation exception tells you where a check found a difference. The next step is to identify the source records involved, understand which check ran, and decide what evidence would answer the open question.

This guide uses the synthetic Northwind Traders statements in the banktrail walkthrough. Its dates, balances, account, and files are illustrative. The same review sequence applies to other statement exports, but each bank’s layout and balance conventions must be checked against the source.

Identify which check raised the exception

Start by separating the exception types. They point to different documents and different next actions.

Exception	What was observed	First follow-up
Unread row	A supplied file contains a row the reader could not map to the statement’s transaction fields.	Open the named source file at the reported page or row, inspect why the row was refused, then correct the layout or re-export and read the original again.
Statement footing	The opening balance and net movement do not agree with the closing balance under the statement’s sign convention.	Recheck the source totals, debit and credit signs, unread rows, and mapped columns for that statement.
Balance-chain gap	The closing balance from one statement does not join to the opening balance on the next observed statement for the same account.	Confirm account and currency, identify the dates and documents on both sides, then find the statement or other source evidence covering the interval.

Keep an unread row tied to its source position and reason. Keep a missing document as a coverage request. They are separate review items: fixing a row layout does not supply a statement that was not in the file set.

Work from the source file outward

For each exception, record the account, currency, statement period, filename, and exact locator reported by the import. Preserve the supplied file so a reviewer can return to the same row or page. If the layout refused a row, record the refusal reason before deciding whether the value explains a difference.

Do not merge rows solely because they share a date, description, and amount. Separate positions in the bank statement remain separate transactions until the source or supporting records show otherwise. The worked payroll review shows two same-amount debits retained as distinct rows.

Check statement footing before comparing periods

For a statement with opening and closing balances, compare its net movement with those printed balances:

Opening balance + net movement = closing balance.

Use the statement’s own sign convention. Credits often increase a deposit account and debits reduce it, while other account types can present balances differently. Confirm which columns and signs apply before treating a calculation as a failed check.

When the amounts do not foot, inspect the original file, mapped columns, date and sign interpretation, and every unread row. Do not use a later statement to silently balance the earlier one: first resolve or record the statement-level exception.

Compare consecutive statements for the same account

After reviewing each statement, compare the earlier closing balance with the later opening balance. Keep accounts and currencies separate. Record the dates on each side of the gap and the source documents used for the comparison.

In the Northwind sample, the February file has one unread row between 6 and 14 February. The ledger reports an expected balance of PKR 55,295.25 and an observed balance of PKR 119,795.25, a difference of PKR 64,500.00. The row refusal and its source locator identify what to inspect next. The difference alone does not tell the reviewer what the unread source row contains.

The same sample has a separate interval after the 28 February statement and before activity on 4 April. No supplied document covers that interval. The recorded balance difference is PKR 112,780.50. The next step is to obtain the statement or statements for the account and missing dates, then rerun the statement-level and cross-statement checks.

Sample exception	Evidence on hand	Useful next action
One unread February row	February CSV and a row refusal at csv;row=7	Inspect the source row, confirm its fields, and re-import the source file after correcting the layout if needed.
Uncovered interval after February	February and April statement files; no file for the intervening interval	Request the exact statement period for the same account and currency.

These are two different findings. Recovering the unread February row addresses the first. It does not fill the later document gap.

Turn each finding into a specific request

Write the next action so another reviewer can complete it without guessing:

• Unread row: identify the file and source locator, state which field was refused, and ask for the original export or a corrected layout.
• Statement footing: identify the statement period and balance calculation, then request clarification or a fresh export if the printed totals cannot be reproduced.
• Balance-chain gap: name the account, currency, start and end dates, and the statement or bank confirmation needed to cover that interval.

When new evidence arrives, check its account and dates before adding it to the review. Re-run the affected statement check and the balance comparison, then keep a record of which evidence resolved the exception. If evidence remains unavailable, leave the request and its status visible.

Continue the review

The missing-statement guide covers period and account scoping in more detail. The document-request example shows how a balance-chain gap can become a precise request, and the supported-format guide explains what file type alone does and does not establish.

See all bank statement reconciliation examples, or watch the banktrail walkthrough.