Performing a bank reconciliation

By the end of this page, you will know how to verify that the balance of the accounting account 521xxx (general ledger) exactly matches the balance on the actual bank statement, and how to justify gaps with in-transit items. This internal control procedure is mandatory under SYSCOHADA and must be performed at least at each month-end.

Why is reconciliation mandatory?

• Detect fraud: an unposted transfer or unauthorized direct debit only appears in the gap between the two balances.
• Identify omissions: cheques issued but not yet cleared, received transfers not yet entered.
• Correct posting errors: reversed amounts, duplicate documents, wrong account assignment.
• SYSCOHADA compliance: the bank reconciliation statement is a mandatory supporting document for the annual audit.

Caution

An unjustified discrepancy between the accounting balance and the bank balance may be reclassified as a significant accounting error during a CEMAC audit. Complete the reconciliation before closing each fiscal year.

Recommended frequency

Company size	Minimum frequency
Micro-enterprise (< 500 transactions/month)	Monthly
SME (500 – 2,000 transactions/month)	Weekly
Large SME / accounting firm	Daily

Prerequisites

Before you start:

1. Import the bank statement for the period (see Importing a bank statement).
2. Make sure the accounting vouchers for the period are up to date.

Matching transactions one by one

In SynkriaOps, reconciliation does not happen on a separate screen: it is done continuously, from the bank transaction list, by matching each imported transaction to its accounting voucher. A transaction can also be matched from the detail view of a voucher (paid customer invoice, settled supplier invoice).

1. In the main menu, go to Cash & Banking → Transactions.

2. Filter by bank account (e.g. AFRILAND - Current account 521100) and by To process status to see only the transactions still to be reconciled.

3. For each transaction, two cases:

   • A voucher already exists (collected customer invoice, settled supplier invoice): click the transaction and choose Match with a voucher, then select the corresponding voucher. The transaction and the voucher are now linked.
   • No voucher exists yet (bank fees, unrecorded direct debit): choose Post and enter the accounting counterpart (e.g. 627xxx for bank fees, 401xxx for an unrecorded supplier direct debit).

4. The processed transaction moves to POSTED status and leaves the list of transactions to process.

Tip

You can also start from the voucher: from the detail view of an accounting voucher, directly attach the corresponding bank transaction. This is often the fastest route right after recording an invoice payment.

Verifying that the balances match

Once every transaction of the period has been processed:

1. Open the general ledger of the relevant 521xxx account (see Viewing the general ledger) and note the balance at the period end date.

2. Compare it with the closing balance of the imported bank statement.

3. If the two balances are equal: the reconciliation is complete for the period.

4. If a gap remains, justify it with in-transit items (see below). Any unjustified discrepancy must be analysed until resolved.

Justifying discrepancies: in-transit items

Some vouchers do not yet have a corresponding bank transaction. Common causes:

• Cheque issued but not yet cashed by the beneficiary — the operation will appear on a future statement.
• Transfer being processed by the bank.
• Entry recorded in error — to be reversed (see Post & reverse).

Document these in-transit items in your reconciliation statement: it is what justifies the residual gap between the accounting balance and the statement balance.

Worked example

Here is a reconciliation example for account 521100 in April 2026:

Item	Amount XAF
Bank statement balance at 30/04/2026	12 350 000
+ Cheque issued not yet cashed (in transit)	+350 000
− Received transfer not recorded	−250 000
Adjusted accounting balance	12 450 000
General ledger balance, account 521100	12 450 000
Discrepancy	0

Fixing common errors

Error	Cause	Solution
”Gap remains after processing”	An operation was posted twice	Check for duplicates in the BNQ journal for the period
”Transactions still to process”	Imported transactions with no matched voucher	Match with an existing voucher or post them
”Statement balance not found”	Statement not imported for the period	Import the statement before verifying the balances

See also

• Importing a bank statement →
• Importing a Mobile Money statement →
• Counterparty account reconciliation →