Reconcile

Reconcile

Match the categorized journal entries for "$ARGUMENTS" against external statements. Identify and resolve every discrepancy before closing the period.

Prerequisites

Read .metapowers/bookkeeping/$ARGUMENTS/02-categorize.md for the categorized journal entries.

Process

1. Gather external statements:

   • Bank statements for the period
   • Credit card statements
   • Vendor account statements
   • Payment processor reports

2. Match transactions:

   • For each internal entry, find the matching external transaction
   • Mark matches as reconciled
   • Note the match method (exact amount, date + amount, reference number)

3. Identify discrepancies:

   • Missing internally — appears on statement but not in our records
   • Missing externally — recorded internally but not on statement (timing difference or error)
   • Amount mismatch — same transaction, different amounts
   • Duplicates — same transaction recorded more than once

4. Resolve each discrepancy:

   • Add missing transactions
   • Remove or merge duplicates
   • Correct amounts with source document verification
   • Note timing differences (outstanding checks, pending deposits)

5. Write the artifact to .metapowers/bookkeeping/$ARGUMENTS/03-reconcile.md with sections:

   • Reconciliation Summary — matched vs. unmatched counts per account
   • Discrepancies Found — table of issues and resolutions
   • Adjusting Entries — any corrections made
   • Outstanding Items — legitimate timing differences
   • Reconciled Balance — confirmed balance per account

Output

The reconciliation written to .metapowers/bookkeeping/$ARGUMENTS/03-reconcile.md. Present a summary highlighting:

• Percentage of transactions matched
• Number of discrepancies found and resolved
• Final reconciled balances