Prepare for your first reconciliation
Set the account's reconciliation history, statement, and outstanding items before starting a bank reconciliation.
Check The Bank Recs List
Open Bank Recs and find the account. The current statuses tell you which step is next:
| Status | What to do |
|---|---|
| Setup needed | Choose Set up reconciliation and establish the account baseline. |
| First statement needed | Supply a statement or enter the first date and balance manually. |
| Statement needed | Review a statement or enter the next date and balance manually. |
| In progress | Choose Continue rec to return to the open session. |
| Clean | Choose Reconcile when the next statement period is ready to work. |
The row can also offer Review statement, Register, or a menu with Continue setup, Correct carry-forward items, and Open register. Unposted and pending bank-feed rows do not become cleared reconciliation items until they are posted.
Set Up An Account With Prior History
Choose Set up reconciliation when the account was reconciled before but has no saved LedgerHQ baseline. The setup wizard asks:
- Reconciled before? — choose yes.
- Last reconciled date — enter the last completed statement date.
- Starting point — identify a statement or enter the date and ending balance that establish the baseline.
- Outstanding items — select checks, deposits, or other items that were still uncleared at that date.
Review the carry-forward items and choose Confirm setup. Those items remain uncleared for the next reconciliation; they are not silently treated as a current-period match.
Set Up An Account With No Prior History
For an account's first-ever reconciliation, choose No when the wizard asks whether it was reconciled before. Select a statement or enter the first date and balance manually. Review those values before starting the session.
This setup records where reconciliation starts. Imported transactions on or before the starting date stay outside the reconciliation pool unless you mark them outstanding. Posted Bank Feeds remain available regardless of their date.
If a statement is already stored and verified, the Statements page can offer Use as first statement or Use for saved reconciliation date. Check the account and period before following either link.
Before Starting The Session
Have the statement ending date and ending balance available. Confirm that the selected LedgerHQ register is correct, the books are not locked for the work you need to do, and the rows through the statement date are posted.
Next, start the bank reconciliation. For the full sequence, see Bank reconciliation.