Use this workflow to reconcile a bank statement to PAX GL 1000 cash activity.
When to use this workflow
Use bank reconciliation after customer payments, vendor payments, customer refund checks, credit card pay-downs, and other cash activity have been recorded in PAX.
Do not use reconciliation adjustments as a shortcut for missing customer payments, vendor payments, or credit card payments. Enter the source transaction in the proper workflow whenever possible.
Before you start
Confirm:
- The bank statement period start and period end are known.
- The bank statement ending balance is known.
- The bank statement export is available as CSV, TSV, or TXT if importing lines.
- Customer payments have been recorded in Receivables.
- Vendor payments have been recorded in Payables.
- Credit card pay-downs have been recorded in Credit Cards.
- Any refund checks have been issued through Banking.
- Any adjustment you plan to create has been approved and belongs in the selected accounting period.
Screen path
Dashboard > Finance > Banking > Bank Reconciliation
Steps
-
Open
Bank Reconciliation. -
Review
Cash in Bank (GL 1000)and recent reconciliations. -
Select
New Reconciliation. -
Review
Beginning Balance. If PAX has a prior reconciled statement, the beginning balance comes from that prior ending balance. -
Enter
Period Start. -
Enter
Period End. -
Enter
Ending Balance per Bank Statement. -
Select
Start Reconciliation. -
In the reconciliation workspace, import the bank statement file with
Import CSV. -
Review the
Book Entries (GL 1000)panel and theBank Statementpanel. -
Match obvious one-to-one items by selecting a book entry or bank line, then choosing the highlighted matching row.
-
For one bank line that represents multiple book entries, select
Multi-Select, choose the book entries and the bank line, then selectConfirm Matchwhen the difference is zero. -
Mark any legitimate unmatched book entries as cleared or bank statement lines as reviewed only when they truly belong to the statement.
-
Use
Add Adjustmentonly for real bank or book activity that does not already exist in PAX. -
Continue until
Differenceis zero. -
Select
Reconcile. -
Confirm the reconciliation status changes to
Reconciled.
Matching options
PAX supports several reconciliation patterns:
| Pattern | How to handle it |
|---|---|
| One book entry equals one bank line | Select one side, then select the highlighted match on the other side. |
| Multiple book entries equal one bank line | Use Multi-Select and confirm the match when the selected book entries equal the bank line. |
| Book entry is valid but has no imported bank line | Mark the book entry cleared only if it belongs to the statement. |
| Bank line is valid but has no book entry | Create an approved adjustment or go back to the source workflow that should have created the book entry. |
Adjusting entries
Select Add Adjustment only when an adjustment is the correct accounting treatment.
The adjustment form includes:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
Amount |
Positive for deposits, negative for payments or withdrawals. If opened from a bank line, the amount comes from that bank line. |
GL Account |
Offset account for the adjustment. |
Description |
Used in the bank adjustment reference. |
Date |
Posting date for the adjustment. Must fall in an open fiscal period. |
If an operational record is missing, create that record in its owning workflow instead of entering a bank adjustment.
What happens behind the scenes
When the reconciliation is created, PAX stores the statement dates and balances and opens a new in-progress reconciliation.
When the bank statement is imported, PAX creates bank statement line records. Imported lines can include transaction date, description, amount, check number, and bank reference.
When entries are matched, PAX marks the GL 1000 book entry cleared and the bank statement line reviewed for that reconciliation.
When an adjustment is posted, PAX creates a journal entry in an open fiscal period:
- Positive adjustment: debit GL 1000, credit the selected offset account.
- Negative adjustment: debit the selected offset account, credit GL 1000.
When the reconciliation is finalized, PAX recalculates cleared balance and allows reconciliation only when the difference is within tolerance. A reconciled statement is locked from normal edits.
Troubleshooting
The beginning balance is not editable
Likely cause: A prior bank reconciliation has already been reconciled.
Safe fix: Use the prior reconciled ending balance as the beginning balance. If the prior reconciliation is wrong, contact the finance owner or support before continuing.
Contact support if: The prior reconciled ending balance is not the correct beginning balance.
A bank line will not match a book entry
Likely cause: The amounts do not match, the item is already cleared or reviewed, or the transaction belongs to a different period.
Safe fix: Review the amount, date, source transaction, and whether the item has already been reconciled.
Contact support if: The correct book entry is visible but PAX will not save the match.
No book entry exists for a bank line
Likely cause: The source transaction may not have been recorded in PAX.
Safe fix: Enter the missing customer payment, vendor payment, credit card payment, or refund check in its proper workflow. Use an adjustment only for approved bank-side or book-side differences.
Contact support if: The source transaction exists but is not available as a GL 1000 book entry.