bank reconciliation

RE: Beginning and ending balances are correct.

The formula is:

Beginning balance + Deposits - Payments = Ending Balance.

So, if the beginning balance matches the bank statement, then if your total payments and total deposits match, then you're done as the ending balance will then match. (Some bank statements include a total for each of these things.)

Find the differences by de-selecting everything and then using the bank statement, select the matching transactions in reconcile one at a time, and mark the paper statement's transaction as matched/selected. You'll eventually find what is missing or different in your books compared to the bank statement. Then fix that and then continue reconciling until everything matches.

Thanks ya'll.  I have done it three times and I know there is an issue somewhere, but I will keep trying.  There are two expenses showing up from past statements that were cleared, but are showing up as uncleared when I do the current reconciliation.  If I mark them it still is off, so I don't think that is the issue.  I made a journal entry in the amount of those two transactions last month due to the beginning balance being incorrect last month.  It was apparently due to those two not marked as cleared - although they did show up on the bank statement, and there were not duplicate entries. Gee, I will start over again tomorrow. 

RE: There are two expenses showing up from past statements that were cleared, but are showing up as uncleared when I do the current reconciliation. If I mark them it still is off, so I don't think that is the issue. 

Well... if transactions that did clear on prior statements show as uncleared, then your QuickBooks reconcile opening balance should not be correct /should not match your bank statement opening balance.

If your QuickBooks reconcile opening balance does match your bank statement, even though those transactions are uncleared (unless they add up to 0.00), then they must not have actually cleared before.

If the opening balance if off by the sum of the prior transactions, then perform a mini-reconcile where you enter ending balance amount = your bank statement opening balance.  Then when you're done with that reconcile and start again, the opening balance in QuickBooks will match your bank statement's opening balance. Then you can proceed as previously recommended with an accurate starting point.

RE: I made a journal entry in the amount of those two transactions last month due to the beginning balance being incorrect last month.

Generally, if you want reconciliations to work, don't record anything in your bank account in QuickBooks that didn't happen in the real world.  If you are off, fix it, don't just enter adjustments or let QuickBooks enter adjustments to make the reconcile work. In my experience that is almost always a bad idea and creates more problems in the future. Better to fix it now. IMO there is no reason why an adjustment should be needed. Instead, just make sure your books reflect the real world and then your accounts will balance.

Thank you SO much for trying to help.  I'm so frazzled at this point, I am probably not even explaining it accurately.  The two uncleared transactions were from 6/28/24 and 06/18/24.  They both show as cleared on my detailed report that I ran and printed and placed with the hard copy of my bank statement for June. I checked in my register to be sure they were not entered twice - however, the checkmark is not showing in the register, being why they are showing as uncleared in the current reconciliation screen. 

Now, for the complicated part - When I went to run the reconciliation for June (at the beginning of July) The beginning balance was not matching up with the statement.  After going through all the steps that the guide explains it appeared that those two had been changed or deleted in some way to cause the difference.  I then allowed the system to automatically create the journal entry to correct it (dated 07/02).  I don't remember all the details at this point, but everything balanced, so I thought it was all good.  

If I go in and clear those two now, it is still off by 69.18 - if I don't mark them cleared I am off by 24.50.  

I know this probably makes no sense, but I do appreciate your response.

I forgot to say that the beginning and ending balance are exactly as shown on the August bank statement.

Lesson learned - It's very easy with QB to accidentally mark something as you are scrolling the numbers.  My only question now is how do I handle those two uncleared from June?  Just ignore them forever or is there a way to fix it?  The suggested Journal entry from the QB help screen are for those two amounts.  Do I create another Journal and reverse it?  Or just leave it alone?  I don't like to leave stuff like that hanging out there.

Delete the Journal, and then perform a reconciliation for just those two transactions.

OK, is that a mini-reconciliation?

Yes, that's what I'd call it.

Thanks so much for your help! If I had not gotten hung up on those two uncleared transactions, I would have continued to meticulously check my transactions until I balanced.  The 24.50 that I was off was due to a check that has not cleared.  When I sorted the cleared transactions column, I had accidentally cleared that check in the process. I could swear I did a search in my register for that amount, but apparently not. Such a goof!

Just wanted to let you know that I deleted the journal and did the mini reconciliation and it worked perfectly. The beginning balance for September reconciliation is correct as well, so we are all good.  Thank You so Much!