QuickBooks reconciliation problems: where to start
If QuickBooks does not agree with your bank statement, first identify the account, statement period, and type of difference. A current online bank balance is not a substitute for checking the statement you are reconciling.
Start with the $49 QuickBooks diagnostic →Begin with the period and the records
Gather the statement for the period and the last completed reconciliation report. Confirm that you are reviewing the correct account and dates. Reconciliation compares the transactions in your books with the bank or card statement; a connected bank feed does not replace that review.
A beginning balance changed
For an account reconciled in the past, the next beginning balance should agree with the previous reconciliation’s ending balance. Intuit’s reconciliation discrepancy report helps identify changes to previously reconciled transactions.
If this is the first reconciliation, the opening balance needs a separate review against the starting records. Avoid forcing a balancing adjustment just to make a difference disappear; establish what caused it first.
Transactions appear twice or are missing
Duplicate entries can occur when downloaded transactions are added even though the original transaction is already recorded. Imports or repeated bank connections can also create duplicates. Review the underlying records before deleting entries, especially transactions in reconciled periods.
When to request a cleanup review
A focused review is useful when several months are behind, a previous correction created a new discrepancy, or you cannot tell which balance to trust. Tell Clarity which accounts and periods are affected and whether your CPA has a deadline.
The $49 diagnostic identifies priority issues and a recommended next step. Full reconciliation and historical corrections are separately scoped cleanup services.