Understanding accounts reconciliation

Accounting Updated 14 Aug 2026 Version 1

Summary

Check that every ledger's balance is right by comparing its opening balance, debits, credits and closing balance before you report on the books.

About 3 minutes · 6 steps. Also called: reconcile, ledger balances, balancing the books, accounts reconciliation.

Prerequisites

  • A CAMS sign-in that can open Reports.
  • The date you are reconciling to, and the branch if you reconcile each branch separately.

Step-by-step

  1. Sign in to CAMS Admin.

  2. In the left menu, expand Reports. The report categories open underneath.

  3. Click Account. You'll see the Account Reports hub, a grid of cards.

  4. Click the Reconcile Ledger Balances Report card, and wait for the filters to finish loading. Set the date you are reconciling to, and the Branch if you reconcile branches separately.

    The Reconcile Ledger Balances Report open in the report viewer, with the date and branch filters above the Ledger Name, Account Number, Opening Balance, Debits, Credits and Closing Balance columns
    Figure 1: The Reconcile Ledger Balances Report open in the report viewer, with the date and branch filters above the Ledger Name, Account Number, Opening Balance, Debits, Credits and Closing Balance columns

  5. Click Submit. Each row shows one ledger's Ledger Name, Account Number, Opening Balance, Debits, Credits and Closing Balance, so you can see whether the movement adds up.

  6. Click Download and choose Excel, CSV or PDF to keep a copy for your records. For any ledger that looks wrong, go on to the next lesson and trace the entry behind it.

Note: This report checks the balances themselves. To match one ledger against a statement, expand Accounting and click Reports, then Reconciliation. On the Ledger Reconciliation screen, set a Date Range and a Ledger Account, then click Reconcile Statement. No statement lines appear until you pick a ledger account, and change Reconciliation Settings only if you are authorised to; the wrong settings hide lines you expect to see.

Common pitfalls & FAQ

  • The report comes back empty. Check your filters and branch access, then click Submit again. Clear resets the filters so you can start over.
  • It takes a long time to run. Narrow the date range. A shorter period finishes faster on a large portfolio.
  • When should I reconcile? Most SACCOs reconcile at end of day or at period close, and always before producing financial statements.
  • How is this different from the Trial Balance? The Trial Balance Report checks that debits equal credits across all accounts. This report shows each ledger's movement in detail.

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