01
Gather the reconciliation trail
You assemble the current statement, ledger detail, reconciliation report, prior reconciliation, outstanding item list, and transfer activity.
Made for CPAs
Investigate an Unreconciled Bank Difference
Also useful for: people in Finance
30 min
Intermediate
Financial Organization
Get Organized Financially
Review an unreconciled bank account in a fixed order, identify the most likely cause, and decide what evidence or correction you need next.
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Make Your Play
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Avoid random searching and unsupported journal entries by testing the difference against common reconciliation causes in a controlled sequence.
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What you'll do
This is the plan inside your prompt. Add your details first. Then follow these steps with ChatGPT or Claude.
02
Run the cause tests
You submit the gathered details through the primary prompt to test timing items, duplicates, omissions, amount errors, cutoff problems, transfers, and beginning balances.
03
Inspect the best next evidence
You open the single document or system view most likely to confirm or reject the leading explanation.
04
Document the resolution
You separate legitimate timing items from book errors and record the appropriate next action.
Make Your Play
Investigate an Unreconciled Bank Difference
Tell us what the prompt needs to know
Start with the questions below. Each answer personalizes the playbook and builds the prompt you’ll use at the end.
Your situation
Enter the statement ending date and accounting period you are reconciling.
Enter the ending balance shown on the bank statement.
Enter the ending general ledger balance before reconciliation adjustments.
Enter the remaining difference after your known reconciliation adjustments.
Provide your prior reconciled balance, current beginning balance, and any opening balance discrepancy.
0/10000
List outstanding checks, deposits in transit, and other known timing items with dates and amounts.
0/10000
Provide relevant statement and ledger lines, including dates, amounts, descriptions, and transaction IDs when available.
0/10000
Note transfers between accounts, unusual entries, deleted items, manual changes, or missing support you have already noticed.
0/10000
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What you'll do
Check a step when you finish it.
01
Gather the reconciliation trail
You assemble the current statement, ledger detail, reconciliation report, prior reconciliation, outstanding item list, and transfer activity.
02
Run the cause tests
You submit the gathered details through the primary prompt to test timing items, duplicates, omissions, amount errors, cutoff problems, transfers, and beginning balances.
03
Inspect the best next evidence
You open the single document or system view most likely to confirm or reject the leading explanation.
04
Document the resolution
You separate legitimate timing items from book errors and record the appropriate next action.
Fill in the fields above to generate your prompt preview.
Assembled prompt
Beginner instructions
You should export the bank statement, general ledger detail, current reconciliation, and prior completed reconciliation before you begin. You can leave an input blank when it is unavailable, but you should treat the result as provisional.
Advanced instructions
You can add transaction IDs, posting timestamps, source modules, cleared dates, and transfer counterpart accounts. You should compare system audit history when an old outstanding item appears changed or deleted.
Use this when
You have completed an initial bank reconciliation, but the adjusted bank balance and adjusted book balance still don't agree.
You'll need
- Reconciliation period
- Statement ending balance
- Book ending balance
- Current unreconciled difference
- Beginning balance details
- Outstanding items
- Transaction details
- Transfer details and observations
You'll get
- The difference amount and direction verified
- Timing items, duplicates, omissions, transfers, cutoff issues, and beginning balances tested
- A ranked likely cause
- A specific evidence request
- Either a supported correction or a documented reason not to post one.
By the end of this playbook
You will have:
- The difference amount and direction verified
- Timing items, duplicates, omissions, transfers, cutoff issues, and beginning balances tested
- A ranked likely cause
- A specific evidence request
- Either a supported correction or a documented reason not to post one.
Examples
Progress 1 of 4