{"id":29209,"date":"2026-03-18T12:53:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T12:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=29209"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:26:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:26:11","slug":"balance-sheet-reconciliation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/balance-sheet-reconciliation\/","title":{"rendered":"Step-by-step balance sheet reconciliation (with examples and best practices)"},"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-gb\/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\tStep-by-step balance sheet reconciliation (with examples and best practices)\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\tDiscover the essential steps, examples and how to do balance sheet reconciliation. Maintain financial integrity with our comprehensive reconciliation guide. \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=\"2026-03-18T12:53:22+00:00\">18 March, 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=\"Step-by-step balance sheet reconciliation (with examples and best practices)\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/balance-sheet-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-gb\/blog\/author\/laurencematone\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Profile_LM-350x350.jpeg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Laurence Matone\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Laurence Matone<\/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>Whether&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;a financial leader or a part of a finance and accounting team,&nbsp;maintaining&nbsp;the accuracy of financial documents is essential for your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, how do you ensure that these are correctly reflected in your year-end statements?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Balance sheet reconciliation is how.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s&nbsp;a means of double-checking your accounts to catch errors early and prevent bigger problems down the road.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article explains systematically why balance sheet reconciliation is so important and guides you through the steps to implement it effectively.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See how this fundamental process gives you a solid foundation for keeping your business on track.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s&nbsp;what&nbsp;we&#8217;ll&nbsp;cover:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\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-is-balance-sheet-reconciliation-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">What is balance sheet reconciliation? &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-is-balance-sheet-account-reconciliation-important-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">Why is balance sheet account reconciliation important? &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-balance-sheet-reconciliation-checklist-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">Balance sheet reconciliation checklist &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-balance-sheet-reconciliation-example-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">Balance sheet reconciliation example &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-challenges-when-reconciling-balance-sheet-accounts-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">Challenges when reconciling balance sheet accounts &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-balance-sheet-reconciliation-best-practices-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">Balance sheet reconciliation best practices &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-making-balance-sheet-reconciliation-part-of-your-financial-routine-nbsp\" data-level=\"2\">Making balance sheet reconciliation part of your financial routine &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-balance-sheet-reconciliation-nbsp\"><strong>What is balance sheet reconciliation?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Reconciling your&nbsp;balance sheet&nbsp;is the process of comparing the assets, liabilities, and equity balances in your balance sheet to the supporting documentation used to populate them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your balance sheet can accumulate errors compared to the original information for several reasons:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Timing differences might exist where a transaction is recorded by one party but not the other at the same time.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Human errors during data entry are always possible.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>System errors or glitches in your accounting software can also cause discrepancies.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fraudulent activities could lead to intentional misstatements.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Comparing these balances to the supporting documents helps you catch these errors early, particularly if you close each accounting period&nbsp;on a monthly basis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Account reconciliation&nbsp;confirms that your financial records are properly classified, ensuring that they are reliable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-is-balance-sheet-account-reconciliation-important-nbsp\"><strong>Why is balance sheet account reconciliation important?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As balance sheet reconciliation improves the reliability of your financial records, you can&nbsp;benefit&nbsp;from:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-accuracy-nbsp\"><strong>Accuracy<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Meaning the numbers in your balance sheet truly&nbsp;reflect&nbsp;your company&#8217;s financial position and cash flow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reconciliation helps ensure all transactions are correctly recorded and&nbsp;categorised.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-free-of-fraudulent-input-and-errors-nbsp\"><strong>Free of fraudulent input and errors<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Safeguarding your assets and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of your financial records.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trustworthiness-nbsp\"><strong>Trustworthiness<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Meaning you can be confident in the financial story your records tell and the business insights you can draw from them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You know you are making sound business decisions based on reliable information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-internal-control-and-corporate-governance-nbsp\"><strong>Internal control and corporate governance<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Identifying&nbsp;weaknesses in your accounting procedures and internal controls allows you to implement improvements that can help you prevent future errors and potential fraud.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-effective-cash-flow-management-nbsp\"><strong>Effective cash flow management<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Balance sheet reconciliation provides a broad overview of all assets and liabilities, including accounts receivable (trade debtors) and accounts payable (trade creditors).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These directly&nbsp;impact&nbsp;your cash flow, and a clear understanding of them sets the stage for effective cash flow forecasting and management.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond these practical points, reconciliation means your records seal your reputation with lenders and investors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regular reconciliation builds trust with stakeholders and ensures compliance with HMRC reporting requirements and UK accounting standards, helping you avoid regulatory penalties.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-balance-sheet-reconciliation-checklist-nbsp\"><strong>Balance sheet reconciliation checklist<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Performing balance sheet reconciliation is clearly good practice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/consolidated-financial-statement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">consolidated balance sheet<\/a>&nbsp;can involve a lot of documentation, with&nbsp;ample opportunity&nbsp;for mistakes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow these steps for a fail-safe reconciliation process:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-nbsp-identify-nbsp-balance-sheet-accounts-nbsp\"><strong>1.&nbsp;Identify&nbsp;balance sheet accounts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, be sure that all relevant account ledgers are represented in your balance sheet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The primary components include your assets, liabilities, and equity statements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, other common examples are cash, accounts receivable, and loan ledgers. List them all before you begin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-gather-important-documents-nbsp\"><strong>2. Gather important documents<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The supporting documents you need to verify each ledger include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bank statements for the cash account&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Invoices and customer records to support accounts receivable&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Supplier statements, credit card statements, and purchase orders backing up accounts payable&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fixed asset registers covering property and equipment&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Inventory records outlining all stock&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Contracts with suppliers confirming your prepaid and recurring expenses&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expense reports that detail your&nbsp;accrued&nbsp;liabilities&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shareholder records that list ownership in equity account&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-verify-that-all-accounts-balance-nbsp\"><strong>3. Verify that all accounts balance<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a high-level comparison where you check that the ending balance for each account in your general ledger matches the total shown in your supporting documents.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, check that the cash balance in your ledger tallies with the ending balance on your bank statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You do this for all balance sheet accounts to get&nbsp;an initial&nbsp;overview.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-reconcile-balance-sheet-accounts-nbsp\"><strong>4. Reconcile balance sheet accounts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the core of the process, where you compare each account line by line, in much more detail than when simply verifying the final balances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you match individual debits and credits in your ledger to the corresponding items on your supporting documents.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any difference between the general ledger and the supporting documentation is referred to as a &#8220;reconciling item&#8221;, which is the formal term for flagging issues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s&nbsp;how it looks for the main accounts in a typical balance sheet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-cash-accounts-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile cash accounts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Check that all bank deposits and withdrawals in your bank statements match the cash receipts and disbursements recorded in the cash ledger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for outstanding cheques (payments&nbsp;you&#8217;ve&nbsp;made that the recipient&nbsp;hasn&#8217;t&nbsp;cashed yet) or deposits in transit (money&nbsp;you&#8217;ve&nbsp;deposited that the bank&nbsp;hasn&#8217;t&nbsp;recorded yet).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-ar-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile AR<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure your accounts receivable records match what customers owe by checking customer payments against outstanding invoices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Investigate past-due amounts and follow up on any discrepancies found.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-ap-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile AP<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You should have a supplier statement for every payable&nbsp;recorded.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Verify that all invoices are accounted for in the&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;payable ledger. Investigate any differences or missing invoices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure you are paying the correct amounts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-fixed-assets-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile fixed assets<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure&nbsp;all purchases and disposals are recorded and accompanied by depreciation calculations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Verify that these calculations are correct based on the asset&#8217;s useful life and the depreciation method used.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Physically verify assets periodically, where&nbsp;practicable, in line with internal control guidance to confirm their existence and condition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-inventory-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile inventory<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Compare physical inventory counts with&nbsp;your&nbsp;inventory records.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Investigate any discrepancies or shrinkage (loss of inventory due to theft, damage, or obsolescence).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use inventory costing methods, such as FIFO (First&nbsp;In&nbsp;First Out), consistently&nbsp;in accordance with&nbsp;UK accounting standards to value your inventory.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-prepaid-expenses-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile prepaid expenses<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Prepaid accounts include items such as insurance or rent that&nbsp;you&#8217;ve&nbsp;paid in advance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure the expense&nbsp;amortisation&nbsp;schedule is&nbsp;accurate&nbsp;and verify that expenses are&nbsp;recognised&nbsp;in the same periods in which the benefit was received.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-nbsp-accrued-nbsp-liabilities-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile&nbsp;accrued&nbsp;liabilities<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Accrued liabilities are expenses your company has incurred but&nbsp;hasn&#8217;t&nbsp;paid yet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Estimate these liabilities and verify against supporting documentation, such as payroll records for wages payable and HMRC guidance for taxes due.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure the amounts are reasonable and fully supported by&nbsp;appropriate documentation&nbsp;in line with UK accounting standards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It helps to review these calculations regularly so you can be sure which elements are&nbsp;required&nbsp;and that&nbsp;they&#8217;re&nbsp;accurately estimated.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconcile-equity-accounts-nbsp\"><strong>Reconcile equity accounts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Transactions affecting equity include owner contributions or dividends.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure all changes are properly documented with supporting documentation, such as&nbsp;share&nbsp;certificates or board meeting minutes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check that these same figures are reflected accurately in the shareholder records.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-investigate-discrepancies-nbsp\"><strong>5. Investigate discrepancies<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When balances&nbsp;don&#8217;t&nbsp;match, find out why as soon as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trace every difference back to its origin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It could be a data entry error, a missing transaction, or even fraudulent manipulation of the data.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-update-your-general-ledger-nbsp\"><strong>6. Update your general ledger<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you find errors,&nbsp;identify&nbsp;the source of truth (most likely the&nbsp;earliest document in the chain of events) and correct your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/accounting-software\/ledger-accounting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">general ledger<\/a>&nbsp;accordingly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make journal entries to&nbsp;indicate&nbsp;where you have adjusted the balances, documenting all relevant details.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Appropriate details include the date, the accounts affected, the reason for the adjustment, and where to find the supporting documentation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This creates a clear audit trail.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-review-and-approve-nbsp\"><strong>7. Review and approve<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, if possible, have a&nbsp;second person&nbsp;review and approve all reconciliations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This added oversight&nbsp;greatly reduces&nbsp;the chance of unresolved discrepancies surviving the process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-balance-sheet-reconciliation-example-nbsp\"><strong>Balance sheet reconciliation example<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s&nbsp;use the cash account as the scenario for a reconciliation example.&nbsp;Imagine your bank statement shows a balance of \u00a310,200 at the end of the month, but the cash&nbsp;account in your general ledger says \u00a310,500.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>You need to work out why your internal system is&nbsp;up&nbsp;\u00a3300.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You scan through the cash ledger and find that a \u00a3300 deposit was indeed actioned and recorded.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most likely, the&nbsp;bank&nbsp;hasn&#8217;t&nbsp;processed it yet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This deposit is a reconciling item, which you would note as a &#8220;deposit in transit&#8221; on your cash reconciliation. Your reconciled cash balance will now match.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s&nbsp;what it looks like in a reconciliation document for this month:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>GL cash ledger<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Bank statement<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a312,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a312,000 deposited&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Salaries&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a32,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a32,000 withdrawn&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sale on credit&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a3300&nbsp;<\/td><td>&#8211;&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Dividend&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a3200&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a3200 deposited&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Balance&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a310,500&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a310,200&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Difference<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>\u00a3300<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Reconciling item<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Deposit in transit \u00a3300<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Reconciled balance<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>\u00a310,500&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-challenges-when-reconciling-balance-sheet-accounts-nbsp\"><strong>Challenges when reconciling balance sheet accounts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a complex operation involving many documents, there are several challenges that can arise during a balance&nbsp;sheet&nbsp;reconciliation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the most common ones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-high-transaction-volumes-nbsp\"><strong>High transaction volumes<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These could catch you by surprise when your business grows or during seasonal peaks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reconciliation is time-consuming, but managing and matching&nbsp;numerous&nbsp;transactions&nbsp;greatly adds&nbsp;to the load.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-missing-documentation-nbsp\"><strong>Missing documentation<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If invoices, receipts, or other supporting documents are lost or misplaced,&nbsp;it&#8217;s&nbsp;very difficult&nbsp;to verify the balances in your accounts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may need to contact the other party in affected transactions to obtain copies of the documentation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-data-entry-errors-nbsp\"><strong>Data entry errors<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use a traditional filing system and paper records, human error is always a risk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mistakes made when entering financial data into your accounting system will show up during reconciliation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, they result in lost time that could have been avoided.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-data-in-disconnected-silos-nbsp\"><strong>Data in disconnected silos<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Compiling data from&nbsp;different sources&nbsp;is not only time-consuming but also presents the challenge of&nbsp;harmonising&nbsp;data recorded in different formats.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-timing-differences-between-records-nbsp\"><strong>Timing differences between records<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All your transactions involve two parties, each with different workloads and processes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that one party might record a transaction at a different time than the other.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a payment you send might not clear the recipient&#8217;s bank until the next day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lack-of-proper-procedures-nbsp\"><strong>Lack of proper procedures<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Without clear guidelines and&nbsp;standardised&nbsp;internal controls, your reconciliation process can become inefficient, and inconsistencies may be overlooked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-balance-sheet-reconciliation-best-practices-nbsp\"><strong>Balance sheet reconciliation best practices<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Concerned about those challenges?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fear not\u2014there&#8217;s&nbsp;a lot you can do to make your reconciliation go smoothly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try these basic tips:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-establish-a-regular-reconciliation-schedule-nbsp\"><strong>Establish a regular reconciliation schedule<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When transaction volume is high, perform cash account reconciliations on a daily or weekly basis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This helps catch discrepancies quickly, preventing errors from snowballing through the rest of the accounting process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Monthly reconciliation is typically sufficient for other balance sheet accounts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-use-a-consistent-reconciliation-format-nbsp\"><strong>Use a consistent reconciliation format<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a standard template or method for your reconciliations makes the process easier to follow and review.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>By following a&nbsp;standardised&nbsp;process, you and your staff will learn to spot deviations more easily, whilst also improving the general efficiency of the process.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>This consistency ensures thoroughness and accuracy across all account reconciliations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keep-clear-and-nbsp-organised-nbsp-documentation-nbsp\"><strong>Keep clear and&nbsp;organised&nbsp;documentation<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maintaining well-organised&nbsp;supporting documents for all transactions is crucial for efficient reconciliation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This makes it easier to trace and verify account balances, saving time when investigating discrepancies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-segregate-duties-nbsp\"><strong>Segregate duties<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have sufficient staff, take steps to divide the workload between different people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By preventing one person from controlling everything in the financial process, you reduce the risk of errors and fraud.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Separating the responsibilities for recording transactions, reconciling accounts, and approving adjustments adds to your system of checks and balances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-regularly-review-procedures-and-assess-risk-nbsp\"><strong>Regularly review procedures and assess risk<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Periodically reviewing your balance sheet reconciliation procedures and conducting a thorough risk assessment can significantly boost the efficiency and accuracy of this operation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This lets you&nbsp;identify&nbsp;potential bottlenecks and unnecessary steps, whilst pinpointing accounts that are inherently higher risk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With that information, you can&nbsp;focus&nbsp;your reconciliation efforts where they are most needed and potentially&nbsp;identify&nbsp;discrepancies more quickly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regularly updating your processes based on these reviews ensures continuous improvement and more reliable financial statements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-invest-in-accounting-software-to-automate-tasks-nbsp\"><strong>Invest in accounting software to automate tasks<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Specialised&nbsp;software with features like bank feeds and automated matching can significantly streamline the balance sheet reconciliation process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going through balance sheets line by line is hugely time-consuming and drains your mental resources.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By using software to reduce manual effort, you&nbsp;don&#8217;t&nbsp;just speed up the process; you also&nbsp;minimise&nbsp;data entry errors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These solutions often come with pre-configured workflows to simplify comparisons and&nbsp;identify&nbsp;discrepancies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cloud-based solutions have the advantage of real-time updates and built-in communication tools.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By&nbsp;facilitating&nbsp;collaboration, you ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-making-balance-sheet-reconciliation-part-of-your-financial-routine-nbsp\"><strong>Making balance sheet reconciliation part of your financial routine<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Regularly reconciling your balance sheet accounts is a proven way to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;accurate&nbsp;financial records, particularly as your business grows and adds complexity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, reconciliation requires patience and diligence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consistent processes and the use of suitable tools can&nbsp;greatly simplify&nbsp;the task.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/accounting-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Accounting software<\/a>&nbsp;takes the effort out of transaction matching, instantly flagging discrepancies as they arise.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Many systems, including Sage, offer built-in reconciliation tools, saving&nbsp;time&nbsp;and improving the efficiency and accuracy of this crucial process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\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>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, 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-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\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 now<\/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-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\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-gb\/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-gb\/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-gb\/blog\/tag\/midsized-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMidsized business\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<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-30564 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-costs tag-business-finances tag-business-performance tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax business_type-small-business business_type-accountants industry-construction 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-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/landlord-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"A landlord outside some properties he owns\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/landlord-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/landlord-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/landlord-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=\"2026-06-25T11:09:14+01:00\">25 June, 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\">10 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-gb\/blog\/private-landlords-2026-need-to-know-changes\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tNew legal requirements for private landlords in 2026 and beyond\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\tIf you let property as a private individual then there&#8217;s been a handful of key changes in 2026\u2014plus more on the horizon. Here&#8217;s what you need to know.\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-1043 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-alternative-finance tag-cash-flow tag-crowdfunding business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/a-business-guide-to-borrowing-money\/\"\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-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/0J9A9593-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/0J9A9593-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/0J9A9593-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/0J9A9593.jpg 999w\" 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=\"2026-06-05T13:25:08+01:00\">5 June, 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\">9 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\tA business owner&#8217;s guide to borrowing money\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-2 post-15795 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accountant-accounting tag-accountant-automation tag-brexit-business tag-business-finances business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-account-reconciliation\/\"\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-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"man in office\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-1440x810.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=\"2026-06-02T15:28:18+01:00\">2 June, 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\">10 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\tAccount reconciliation: What it is and best practices\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-30283 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-finances tag-financial-education business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/strategic-budgeting\/\"\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-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-1300x810.jpg 1300w\" 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=\"2026-05-27T15:12:53+01:00\">27 May, 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\">10 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\tStrategic budgeting explained: the finance team&#8217;s role in long-term planning\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-30275 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-grow-business tag-inventory tag-midsized-business tag-performance-management tag-supply-chain business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/sales-order-management\/\"\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-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" 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=\"2026-05-27T14:12:06+01:00\">27 May, 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\">7 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\tWhat is sales order management: How to optimise sales order processing\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>Discover the essential steps, examples and how to do balance sheet reconciliation. Maintain financial integrity with our comprehensive reconciliation guide. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1911,"featured_media":16314,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[135,24,159],"business_type":[4,3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[71,73,74,75],"imagine_tag":[287,77,271,109,298],"coauthors":[752],"class_list":["post-29209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-business-finances","tag-cash-flow","tag-midsized-business","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-sized-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Laurence Matone","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1160135293.jpg","imagine_tags":{"287":"Accounting Individual","77":"Accounting software","271":"Accounts payable","109":"Small business","298":"Small Suites"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1911"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/16314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=29209"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=29209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}