Matching payments and bank reconciliation

What matching needs

Matching is strongest when both sides of the transaction are present: the payment record and the source that explains why it happened.

• Bank rows or CSV context for the same period, including dates, amounts, counterparty text, references, fees, and payment descriptions where available.
• Documents that explain expected payments: receipts, supplier invoices, customer invoices, credit notes, payout reports, contracts, or statements.
• Owner context for unclear cases: private payments, mixed-use costs, refunds, partial payments, owner reimbursements, cash payments, and deposits.
• Accountant review for treatment-sensitive cases, reconciliation questions, period decisions, or any case where the payment and evidence do not tell the full story.

Matching workflow

Matching should make payment context inspectable. A suggestion is useful because it can be checked; it should not hide unmatched or uncertain rows.

1. 01Bring bank rows into the monthImport or attach bank context for the same period as the documents. Keep payment exports and statements tied to the month they explain.
2. 02Prepare candidate linksHans can suggest likely connections when dates, amounts, counterparties, invoice numbers, references, or payout context line up. These are prepared links, not final approval.
3. 03Review suggested and manual matchesCheck whether the document actually explains the payment. A close amount or familiar vendor may still be wrong when fees, refunds, or split payments are involved.
4. 04Keep unmatched rows visibleUnmatched payments, missing receipts, private items, duplicate documents, and partial payments should remain visible instead of being treated as solved.
5. 05Use close readiness to catch gapsBefore handoff, the month should show which rows are matched, which are suggested, which need owner context, and which need accountant review.

What Hans prepares

Hans reduces manual comparison work while preserving the ability to inspect the evidence behind a match.

• Suggested links between payment rows and documents or payout sources, based on visible details such as date, amount, counterparty, reference, and source context.
• Signals for gaps: unmatched bank rows, missing receipts, duplicate candidate documents, net payouts with fees, partial payments, or payments that do not fit the period.
• Review context that connects the payment, source evidence, owner answer, and accountant-facing exception so the month can be inspected later.
• A clearer close view that separates matched work from open payment questions and treatment-sensitive cases.

What people decide

Payment data can suggest relationships, but people decide facts, exceptions, and professional treatment.

• Owners clarify whether a payment belongs to the business, what it relates to, whether a receipt is missing, and why a payment is unusual.
• Accountants decide treatment, reconciliation handling, corrections, approval, period handling, and whether evidence is sufficient for their work.
• The team decides whether a gap blocks close or can be reviewed as an accountant-side exception.
• A match should not be treated as final when the document, bank row, or owner context still conflicts.

Common matching edge cases

Most matching confusion comes from payments that do not line up perfectly with one document. Make those cases explicit early.

• Partial or split payments: one invoice may be paid in parts, or one payment may cover several documents. The relationship should be explained before review.
• Payouts and fees: platform payouts may arrive net of fees, refunds, reserves, or settlement timing. The payout report often matters as much as the bank row.
• Private or mixed-use payments: if the bank row includes a private item, owner reimbursement, or mixed-use cost, the owner should state the business context and leave treatment to the accountant.
• Wrong-looking suggestions: if a suggested match appears wrong, keep it visible and review it before close instead of assuming the automation is correct.

Next steps

Matching usually feeds task resolution, close readiness, and accountant review.

• Open Uploading evidence when a bank row lacks the receipt, invoice, payout report, or statement that explains it.
• Open Tasks and blockers when a payment needs owner context before it can move forward.
• Open Month-end close when bank gaps are the main remaining blocker before handoff.
• Open the glossary for terms such as matching, reconciliation, period, VAT, SKR03, DATEV, and booking proposal.