# Month-end bank reconciliation checklist

Free printable checklist from StatementHaul (https://statementhaul.haullabs.dev/guides/month-end-bank-reconciliation-checklist). Sources checked 2026-10-24. Not tax or accounting advice.

## 1. Before you start

- [ ] **Download every statement for the month as a PDF.** One per bank and credit card account. If you are behind, work one statement at a time, oldest first. Sources: [Intuit (Canada): Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-ca/help-article/reconciliation-reports/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L96JWj4je_CA_en_CA)
- [ ] **Make sure all transactions for the period are entered and categorized.** Match and categorize downloaded bank-feed transactions before reconciling. Sources: [Intuit: Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/statement-reconciliation/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L3XzsllsK_US_en_US)
- [ ] **Missing months only exist as PDFs? Convert them to CSV.** QuickBooks Online accepts a 3-column (Date, Description, Amount) or 4-column (Date, Description, Credit, Debit) CSV, or a .qbo Web Connect file. Sources: [Intuit: Format CSV files to get bank transactions into QuickBooks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/bank-transactions/format-csv-files-excel-bank-transactions-quickbooks/L4BjLWckq_US_en_US) [Intuit: Manually upload transactions into QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/import-transactions/manually-upload-transactions-quickbooks-online/L0rE9OXBz_US_en_US)

## 2. Reconcile

- [ ] **Check the beginning balance matches the statement's opening balance.** On a first reconciliation, a mismatch is often an incorrect opening balance; fix that before you start. Sources: [Intuit (Canada): Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-ca/help-article/reconciliation-reports/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L96JWj4je_CA_en_CA) [Intuit: Fix issues the first time you reconcile an account](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/banking/fix-issues-first-time-reconcile-account-quickbooks/L1aksm3QU_US_en_US)
- [ ] **Confirm the last statement ending date.** The current statement should start the day after it. Sources: [Intuit: Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/statement-reconciliation/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L3XzsllsK_US_en_US)
- [ ] **Enter the statement's ending balance and ending date.** Some banks call it the new or closing balance. Sources: [Intuit: Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/statement-reconciliation/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L3XzsllsK_US_en_US) [Intuit (Canada): Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-ca/help-article/reconciliation-reports/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L96JWj4je_CA_en_CA)
- [ ] **Tick each transaction that appears on the statement.** Leave items that are in your books but not on the statement (for example uncleared checks) unticked. Sources: [Intuit (Canada): Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-ca/help-article/reconciliation-reports/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L96JWj4je_CA_en_CA)
- [ ] **Get the Difference to $0.00, then Finish.** If it will not balance, check the ending balance and date you typed in first. Sources: [Intuit: Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/statement-reconciliation/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L3XzsllsK_US_en_US)

## 3. If it does not balance

- [ ] **Look for a missing or duplicated row.** A dropped row or a flipped sign shows up as a difference equal to that amount (or twice it).
- [ ] **Check for transactions already marked reconciled by mistake.** On a first reconciliation only the opening balance should carry an R. Sources: [Intuit: Fix issues the first time you reconcile an account](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/banking/fix-issues-first-time-reconcile-account-quickbooks/L1aksm3QU_US_en_US)
- [ ] **Check the amount against the statement total.** Opening balance + credits − debits should equal the printed closing balance. If your source CSV does not add up, fix it before importing.

## 4. After you finish

- [ ] **Save the reconciliation report.** QuickBooks saves one; find it under Reconcile › History by account. Sources: [Intuit: Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/statement-reconciliation/reconcile-account-quickbooks-online/L3XzsllsK_US_en_US)
- [ ] **File the statement PDF with the month's records.** For most small businesses the business checking account is the main source for book entries, and account statements are a supporting document for expenses. Sources: [IRS: What kind of records should I keep](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/what-kind-of-records-should-i-keep)
- [ ] **Keep the records for the right period.** Generally until the period of limitations for that return runs out: 3 years in the basic case, longer in some situations (for example 7 years for bad-debt or worthless-securities claims); employment tax records at least 4 years. Sources: [IRS: How long should I keep records?](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records)

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Convert text-based bank statement PDFs to CSV or QBO with a built-in balance check: https://statementhaul.haullabs.dev/ (5 statements a month free, then $9 one-time for 10 or $29 one-time for 100). The parser is generic: tested on 11 published sample statements and our own synthetic ones, not on most real banks' current statements. Scanned PDFs are not supported.