How account reconciliation works
From trial balance to certified accounts
Upload your trial balance, support each account, explain differences, complete review, and keep the entire reconciliation traceable.
One structured workflow for preparation, review, and certification.
Step 1
Upload your trial balance
Start with the trial balance your finance team already uses.
Select the account name, optional account code, and closing balance fields.
No need to restructure your trial balance before uploading it.
Configure trial balance fields
Step 2
Create your account portfolio
Cointab reads the trial balance and creates the accounts to be reconciled for that period.
See the key information for every account in one place:
See which accounts are complete, which need support, and which still need attention.
Account portfolio
| Account | GL | Supported | Diff | Unexplained | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade receivables | ₹640,000 | ₹625,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹0 | In review |
| Trade payables | ₹210,000 | ₹210,000 | ₹0 | ₹0 | Certified |
| Prepaid expenses | ₹48,000 | ₹40,000 | ₹8,000 | ₹8,000 | To prepare |
Step 3
Add the support behind each balance
Use the supporting information your finance team already has.
Add supporting items
Enter balances or supporting items directly for simple reconciliations.
Upload supporting data
Use schedules, subledgers, aging reports, and other spreadsheets.
Attach supporting files
Keep Excel files, PDFs, and other evidence with the account.
Use your existing accounting schedules. Cointab structures the reconciliation around them.
Step 4
Understand and explain the difference
Add reconciling items for known timing differences, pending entries, or other explanations.
A difference is not necessarily a problem. What matters is what remains unexplained.
Step 5
Prepare and submit for review
Once the account has been supported and explained, send it to the reviewer.
Prepare
Support the balance, add reconciling items, and leave notes where needed.
Submit for review
Send the completed account to the reviewer in one click.
Shared account view
1200 — Trade receivables
The reviewer sees the same:
GL balance
Supporting items
Attachments
Difference
Reconciling items
Unexplained difference
Everyone works from the same account, support, and explanation.
Step 6
Review, request changes, or certify
The reviewer can inspect the complete reconciliation and decide what happens next.
Review
Check balances, support, evidence, reconciling items, and comments.
Request changes
Send the account back when additional support or explanation is required.
Certify
Complete the review and mark the account as certified.
No separate review spreadsheet. No email-based approval trail.
Step 7
Track progress across all accounts
See the reconciliation status at a glance.
Total accounts
All accounts created from the trial balance.
To prepare
Accounts where preparation is still pending.
Awaiting review
Accounts submitted to reviewers.
With unexplained difference
Accounts that still contain an unexplained balance.
Certified
Accounts where review is complete.
Know exactly where the reconciliation stands without maintaining a separate tracker.
Total accounts
48
To prepare
12
Awaiting review
9
With unexplained difference
4
Certified
23
Step 8
Keep the reconciliation audit-ready
Everything behind the account remains traceable.
Trial balance
Supporting items
Attachments
Reconciling items
Comments & history
Certification
Download the reconciliation to Excel for finance review, sharing, and audit preparation.
Keep the numbers, support, explanations, and review history together.
Start with files. Automate when you need to.
You do not need an ERP integration to get started. Begin with trial balance and supporting-data uploads. For recurring processes, Cointab can also automate retrieval and processing of agreed data sources.
Start simple. Add automation as the process matures.
Try it yourself
Ready to see it with your own trial balance?
Start with one period and a familiar set of accounts.