{"id":14929,"date":"2026-08-17T07:00:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T11:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/?p=14929"},"modified":"2026-08-17T07:00:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T11:00:56","slug":"outstanding-cheques-bank-reconciliation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/outstanding-cheques-bank-reconciliation\/","title":{"rendered":"What are outstanding cheques in bank reconciliation?"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat are outstanding cheques in bank reconciliation?\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOutstanding cheques can make your bank balance look higher than the cash you actually have available. Learn how to identify and calculate them, reconcile your accounts accurately, and handle stale-dated cheques in Canada.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-17T07:00:54-04:00\">August 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"What are outstanding cheques in bank reconciliation?\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/outstanding-cheques-bank-reconciliation\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/author\/lauraslingo\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/laura-slingo-headshot-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Laura Slingo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/laura-slingo-headshot-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/laura-slingo-headshot.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Laura Slingo<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outstanding cheques can make the balance on your bank statement look higher than the amount recorded in your books. Learn what outstanding cheques mean, how to calculate them during bank reconciliation, and how Canadian businesses should manage cheques that remain uncashed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reconciling your bank accounts regularly helps you understand how much cash your business has available and identify transactions that need attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One common difference is an outstanding cheque: a cheque your business has issued and recorded, but which hasn\u2019t yet cleared the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide explains what outstanding cheques are, how they affect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/glossary\/what-is-bank-reconciliation\/\">bank reconciliation<\/a>, how to calculate them, and what to do when a cheque remains outstanding for an extended period.<\/p>\n\n\n<section id=\"key-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-sage-key-takeaways\"><div class=\"sage-key-takeaways__inner\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-3-font-size\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An outstanding cheque is a cheque that has been issued and recorded but hasn\u2019t yet cleared the business\u2019s bank account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When reconciling from the bank statement balance, subtract outstanding cheques because the bank hasn\u2019t yet deducted them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An outstanding cheque normally doesn\u2019t require another journal entry during reconciliation because the payment was recorded when the cheque was issued.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Canada, regular cheques are generally considered stale-dated after six months, but they aren\u2019t automatically invalid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Before reversing or reissuing an old cheque, confirm whether the payment is still owed and check whether unclaimed-property requirements apply.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-here-s-what-we-ll-cover\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover<\/h3>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-are-outstanding-cheques-in-bank-reconciliation\" data-level=\"2\">What are outstanding cheques in bank reconciliation?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-do-outstanding-cheques-affect-bank-reconciliation\" data-level=\"2\">How do outstanding cheques affect bank reconciliation?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-identify-and-calculate-outstanding-cheques\" data-level=\"2\">How to identify and calculate outstanding cheques<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-outstanding-cheques-bank-reconciliation-example\" data-level=\"2\">Outstanding cheques bank reconciliation example<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-record-outstanding-cheques\" data-level=\"2\">How to record outstanding cheques<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-long-can-a-cheque-remain-outstanding-in-canada\" data-level=\"2\">How long can a cheque remain outstanding in Canada?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-to-do-with-stale-dated-or-long-outstanding-cheques\" data-level=\"2\">What to do with stale-dated or long-outstanding cheques<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-best-practices-for-managing-outstanding-cheques\" data-level=\"2\">Best practices for managing outstanding cheques<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-accounting-software-can-simplify-bank-reconciliation\" data-level=\"2\">How accounting software can simplify bank reconciliation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions-about-outstanding-cheques\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions about outstanding cheques<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-are-outstanding-cheques-in-bank-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are outstanding cheques in bank reconciliation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An outstanding cheque is a cheque that a business has issued to a payee but that hasn\u2019t yet cleared the business\u2019s bank account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The business will usually record the payment in its accounting system when it issues the cheque. However, the bank won\u2019t deduct the money from the account until the payee deposits or cashes it and the cheque clears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This creates a temporary difference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The business\u2019s books already reflect the payment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The bank statement still includes the money in the account.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outstanding cheques are normal timing differences rather than accounting errors, provided they\u2019re valid, recorded correctly, and still expected to clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, suppose your business issues a $1,200 cheque to a supplier on March 28 and records the payment immediately. If the supplier deposits it on April 3, the cheque may still be outstanding when you reconcile your bank account at the end of March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-do-outstanding-cheques-affect-bank-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do outstanding cheques affect bank reconciliation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When preparing a bank reconciliation, outstanding cheques are subtracted from the ending balance shown on the bank statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is because the bank statement still includes money that the business has already committed and removed from its accounting records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The basic calculation is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Adjusted bank balance = Bank statement balance + Deposits in transit \u2212 Outstanding cheques \u00b1 Bank errors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The adjusted bank balance should then agree with the adjusted balance in your accounting records after you account for items such as bank fees, interest, direct debits, or book errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outstanding cheques matter because failing to account for them can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make it appear that more cash is available than your business actually has to spend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase the risk of overdrafts or non-sufficient funds (NSF) charges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Distort <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/why-you-should-be-doing-cash-flow-analysis\/\">cash flow<\/a> forecasts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make errors or duplicate payments more difficult to identify.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leave old or potentially fraudulent cheques undetected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to\">\n\t\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-identify-and-calculate-outstanding-cheques\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to identify and calculate outstanding cheques<\/h2>\n\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To find outstanding cheques during bank reconciliation, compare the cheques recorded in your accounting system with the transactions that cleared on your bank statement.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<ol class=\"how-to-steps\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-508ab7ff\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-review-your-cheque-register\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Review your cheque register<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start with a list of cheques that were issued on or before the bank statement date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For each cheque, confirm the:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cheque number<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Issue date<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amount<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bank account<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Current status<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Include cheques outstanding from previous reconciliation periods, not only those issued during the current month.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-d4d4883e\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-match-cleared-cheques-to-the-bank-statement\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Match cleared cheques to the bank statement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Compare the cheque number and amount in your records with the cheques that cleared the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mark each successfully matched cheque as cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the amount processed by the bank differs from the amount recorded, investigate the difference rather than treating the full cheque as outstanding.<\/p><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-1472c2c5\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-investigate-unmatched-cheques\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Investigate unmatched cheques<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A cheque recorded in your register but not shown as cleared on the bank statement may be outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before including it, check that the cheque:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Was issued before the statement date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hasn\u2019t already been voided or replaced.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wasn\u2019t recorded twice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Didn\u2019t clear under a different cheque number or amount.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hasn\u2019t been affected by a bank or recording error.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-sage-how-to-step\" id=\"how-to-step-8c894b43\">\n\t<h3 id=\"h-add-the-outstanding-amounts-together\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add the outstanding amounts together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the following formula:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Total outstanding cheques = Sum of all issued cheques that have not cleared as of the reconciliation date<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Subtract this total from the bank statement balance as part of the reconciliation.<\/p><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-outstanding-cheques-bank-reconciliation-example\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outstanding cheques bank reconciliation example<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Suppose your bank statement shows an ending balance of $25,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your records show:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Outstanding cheque 1048: $1,250<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outstanding cheque 1051: $2,000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deposit in transit: $1,100<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, calculate the outstanding cheques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>$1,250 + $2,000 = $3,250<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then adjust the bank statement balance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>$25,000 + $1,100 \u2212 $3,250 = $22,850<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The adjusted bank balance is therefore <strong>$22,850<\/strong>. This should match the adjusted balance in your accounting records once items such as bank fees, interest, or recording errors have also been accounted for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-record-outstanding-cheques\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to record outstanding cheques<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Record a cheque in your accounting system when it is issued, according to your business\u2019s accounting policies and software workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A cheque record should generally include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cheque number<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Issue date<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amount<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payment purpose or associated invoice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bank account<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Approval or supporting documentation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entry will typically credit the relevant cash or bank account and debit an expense, asset, or accounts payable account, depending on what the cheque is paying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the cheque remains outstanding at the reconciliation date, you normally don\u2019t record another journal entry. Instead, list it as an outstanding cheque and subtract it from the bank statement balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the cheque eventually clears, match the bank transaction to the payment already recorded. Recording the payment again would duplicate the expense or reduce cash twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The treatment may differ if the original cheque is cancelled, reversed, or replaced. Follow your accounting policies and consult your accountant where necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-long-can-a-cheque-remain-outstanding-in-canada\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long can a cheque remain outstanding in Canada?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Canada, a regular cheque is generally considered stale-dated after six months. However, stale-dated doesn\u2019t mean automatically void.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.payments.ca\/payment-resources\/support-guides\/business-guides\/issuing-or-receiving-cheques\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Payments Canada<\/a>, a financial institution may still honour a stale-dated cheque, although it isn\u2019t required to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are some important exceptions to the six-month rule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Government of Canada cheques don\u2019t stale-date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bank drafts and money orders don\u2019t stale-date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Certified cheques aren\u2019t subject to the standard six-month stale-dating treatment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provincial government cheques are generally treated like regular cheques and may become stale-dated after six months.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Businesses should therefore avoid assuming that an old cheque can no longer clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-to-do-with-stale-dated-or-long-outstanding-cheques\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to do with stale-dated or long-outstanding cheques<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long-outstanding cheques should be investigated rather than automatically removed from your accounting records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-contact-the-payee\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact the payee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confirm whether the payee:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Received the cheque.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Still has it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has already attempted to deposit it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is still entitled to the payment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Requires a replacement or another payment method.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep a record of your attempts to contact the payee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-consider-a-stop-payment-request\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consider a stop-payment request<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a cheque has been lost, stolen, or is being replaced, ask your financial institution whether a stop payment is appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your financial institution may charge a fee, and a stop-payment request doesn\u2019t guarantee that the cheque will be intercepted. Confirm the process and terms directly with your financial institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-cancel-and-reissue-carefully\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cancel and reissue carefully<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If payment is still owed, cancel the original cheque in your accounting system and reissue the payment using the correct procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t issue a replacement without addressing the original cheque. Otherwise, both cheques could potentially be presented, creating a duplicate-payment risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-check-unclaimed-property-requirements\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check unclaimed-property requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An uncashed cheque may represent money that still belongs to an employee, supplier, customer, or another payee. Businesses shouldn\u2019t automatically recognize the amount as income simply because the cheque is old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unclaimed-property rules vary across Canada and can depend on the province, type of payment, amount, and payee\u2019s location. Several provinces, including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and New Brunswick, have unclaimed-property regimes that may apply to uncashed cheques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before writing off a long-outstanding amount, check the rules that apply to your business or seek professional advice. Provincial resources include the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alberta.ca\/unclaimed-property\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alberta Unclaimed Property Program<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/governments\/organizational-structure\/ministries-organizations\/central-government-agencies\/office-of-the-comptroller-general\/unclaimed-property-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">British Columbia Unclaimed Property Program<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.revenuquebec.ca\/en\/unclaimed-property\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Revenu Qu\u00e9bec<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/fcnb.ca\/en\/unclaimed-property\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-best-practices-for-managing-outstanding-cheques\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best practices for managing outstanding cheques<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a cheque stays on your reconciliation month after month, find out why. Use the following practices to spot ageing cheques early, follow up with payees, and keep a clear record of anything you cancel or reissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-reconcile-bank-accounts-regularly\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reconcile bank accounts regularly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Complete bank reconciliations at least monthly and consider reconciling more frequently if your business processes a high volume of payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regular reconciliation helps you identify outstanding cheques while the supporting information is still easy to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-review-an-outstanding-cheque-report\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Review an outstanding-cheque report<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Group outstanding cheques by age, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Less than 30 days<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>30 to 90 days<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>91 days to six months<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More than six months<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This makes it easier to prioritize follow-ups and investigate unusual items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-follow-up-before-six-months\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Follow up before six months<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t wait until a cheque becomes stale-dated. Contact the payee if a cheque remains outstanding longer than expected, particularly when the amount is significant, or the payment relates to wages, refunds, or time-sensitive obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-maintain-an-audit-trail\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintain an audit trail<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep documentation for issued, cleared, cancelled, stopped, and reissued cheques. Record who approved each action and why it was taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-separate-responsibilities-where-possible\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Separate responsibilities where possible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where practical, different people should authorize payments, prepare cheques, record transactions, and review bank reconciliations. This separation can help reduce errors and fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-use-electronic-payments-where-appropriate\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use electronic payments where appropriate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Electronic payment methods can reduce the number of cheques that become lost, delayed, or stale-dated. Businesses should still reconcile electronic payments and maintain appropriate authorization controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-accounting-software-can-simplify-bank-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How accounting software can simplify bank reconciliation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As transaction volumes grow, identifying outstanding cheques manually becomes slower and easier to get wrong. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accounting-software\/\">Accounting software<\/a> can bring bank transactions and recorded payments together, making exceptions easier to spot and investigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the product and configuration, it may allow businesses to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Import transactions from connected bank accounts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Match cleared transactions to recorded payments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Display unmatched or outstanding cheques.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review outstanding items by age.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify possible duplicate payments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Preserve supporting documentation and audit trails.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reconcile multiple accounts from one system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automation doesn\u2019t remove the need for review. Older or unusual items still need to be investigated, and bank-feed matches should be checked for accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-final-thoughts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outstanding cheques are a normal part of bank reconciliation, but older items shouldn\u2019t be left unexplained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Record cheque payments promptly, reconcile your accounts regularly, and follow up when a cheque remains outstanding longer than expected. This gives you a clearer view of available cash while helping you catch errors, prevent duplicate payments, and deal with stale-dated cheques appropriately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/integrated-payment-solutions\/bank-reconciliation-software\/\">Bank reconciliation software<\/a> can support this process by matching bank transactions with recorded payments and bringing outstanding items to your attention sooner.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-faq\">\n\t\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-about-outstanding-cheques\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about outstanding cheques<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-items\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-7aa3516a\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-is-an-outstanding-cheque-added-or-subtracted-in-bank-reconciliation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is an outstanding cheque added or subtracted in bank reconciliation?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When reconciling from the bank statement balance, subtract outstanding cheques because the bank hasn\u2019t yet deducted those payments. If you are reconciling from the book balance, don\u2019t subtract them again because they should already be reflected in your accounting records.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-18e006dc\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-does-an-outstanding-cheque-require-a-journal-entry\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does an outstanding cheque require a journal entry?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not usually. The payment should have been recorded when the cheque was issued. During bank reconciliation, the cheque is listed as a reconciling item rather than recorded again. A separate entry may be needed if the original transaction was incorrect or the cheque is cancelled or replaced.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-b172ce93\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-what-happens-when-an-outstanding-cheque-clears\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens when an outstanding cheque clears?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once the cheque clears, match the bank transaction to the payment already recorded in your accounting system. It should then be marked as cleared and removed from the outstanding-cheque list. You don\u2019t record the expense or payment a second time.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-0d30a3a7\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-what-is-the-difference-between-an-outstanding-cheque-and-a-post-dated-cheque\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the difference between an outstanding cheque and a post-dated cheque?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An outstanding cheque has been issued and is eligible for payment but hasn\u2019t yet cleared. A post-dated cheque carries a future date and shouldn\u2019t be deposited before that date.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-77a6f814\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-can-a-canadian-bank-honour-a-cheque-that-is-more-than-six-months-old\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can a Canadian bank honour a cheque that is more than six months old?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. A regular cheque is generally stale-dated after six months, but it\u2019s not necessarily invalid. The financial institution may still honour it, although it\u2019s not obligated to do so. This is why businesses shouldn\u2019t assume an old outstanding cheque can no longer clear.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cta-content__title\">Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-8949a954-88b2-43bb-8b8a-77c53eb34350\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/accounting-101\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccounting 101\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/bookkeeping\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbookkeeping\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/business-finances\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness finances\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/business-management\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness management\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/cash-flow\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcash flow\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/cfo\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCFO\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/data-analysis\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata analysis\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/electronic-payments\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\telectronic payments\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/tag\/financial-insights\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfinancial insights\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-8926 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accounting-101 tag-bookkeeping tag-business-continuity tag-business-finances tag-cash-flow tag-small-business business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-24T11:43:07-04:00\">September 24, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/why-you-should-be-doing-cash-flow-analysis\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tCash flow analysis guide: Definition, steps, and examples\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tLearn what cash flow analysis shows, how to review operating, investing, and financing activity, and how to compare actual cash results with forecasts.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-12545 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-accounting-101 tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-business-strategy tag-cfo tag-financial-insights tag-how-to-grow-your-business tag-investments tag-midsized-business tag-profit-and-loss tag-staying-competitive business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants industry-construction 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business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/saas-revenue-recognition\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/saas-revenue-recognition-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/saas-revenue-recognition-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/saas-revenue-recognition-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/saas-revenue-recognition.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-23T12:08:35-04:00\">September 23, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">14 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tSaaS revenue recognition: A Canadian guide to IFRS 15\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-15080 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-business-process category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accounting-101 tag-change-management tag-inventory-management business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business industry-manufacturing\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/abc-analysis\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0952-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0952-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0952-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0952-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-23T11:47:04-04:00\">September 23, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">15 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tABC analysis: How to use the ABC inventory method\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-15077 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accounting-101 tag-bookkeeping tag-cash-flow tag-cfo business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/consolidated-balance-sheet\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1272758830-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1272758830-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1272758830-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1272758830-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-23T11:28:42-04:00\">September 23, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">15 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tConsolidated balance sheet: What it is and how to prepare one\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Outstanding cheques can make your bank balance look higher than the cash you actually have available. Learn how to identify and calculate them, reconcile your accounts accurately, and handle stale-dated cheques in Canada.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1910,"featured_media":8053,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"[{\"keyword\":\"what is outstanding cheque in bank reconciliation\",\"score\":81},{\"keyword\":\"outstanding cheques meaning\",\"score\":61},{\"keyword\":\"outstanding checks\",\"score\":61},{\"keyword\":\"what are outstanding cheques\",\"score\":93}]","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"[\"\",\"\",\"\",\"\",\"\"]","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"7","sage_membership_post_content_type":"article","sage_membership_post_featured_video_id":"","sage_membership_post_video_type":"trailer","sage_membership_post_featured_video_duration":"","post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[146,7,20],"tags":[162,165,266,168,271,274,179,184,190],"business_type":[3,99,6],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[255,67],"coauthors":[528],"class_list":["post-14929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accountants","category-money-matters","category-people-leadership","tag-accounting-101","tag-bookkeeping","tag-business-finances","tag-business-management","tag-cash-flow","tag-cfo","tag-data-analysis","tag-electronic-payments","tag-financial-insights","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-business","business_type-accountants"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ca","author_name":"Laura Slingo","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1271694534.jpg","imagine_tags":{"255":"SBC Accounting","67":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Canada English","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14929"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14934,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14929\/revisions\/14934"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/8053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14929"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}