Reconcile supplier statements before the accounts team leaves
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Reconcile the supplier statement while someone can still explain the orders, returns and payments behind it. A statement total is a starting point for comparison, not proof that every item is correct or that the account is settled.
Ask the accountant or responsible finance person to decide accounting treatment and payment questions. This guide organises evidence; it does not recommend payment priority, withholding funds or offsetting disputed amounts.
Match entries by reference
Obtain the statement date and the period it covers. Compare invoice references, recorded receipts, credit notes and payment evidence. Keep timing differences visible: a payment made after the statement date may explain a difference without changing what the earlier statement showed.
Use a worksheet with one row per discrepancy:
| Entry | Business evidence | Supplier position | Unresolved question | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invoice, credit or payment reference | What is held and what it supports | Actual statement or reply | Missing document, amount difference or disputed basis | Named owner and requested evidence |
Do not merge separate invoices because their values happen to match. Record a missing reference as a gap.
Separate arithmetic from agreement
In a fictional comparison, a statement shows £1,200. The business has evidence of a £300 payment after the statement date and an expected £100 credit that the supplier has not confirmed. The £300 can be raised as a documented timing item. The £100 remains a separate credit question; it should not quietly become an agreed deduction.
Use the supplier credit follow-up for that open item. If the invoice itself is disputed, the dispute handover note preserves the reason and previous correspondence.
For pooled pallets or returnable containers, use the physical-to-provider balance comparison to investigate the quantity evidence behind an account query.
Ask operational staff about deliveries, services and returns where finance records lack context. An invoice marked “check with stores” needs a person and evidence before the store closes.
Preserve the explanation for the next contact
Record what was reconciled, which statement version was used and which items remain unresolved. Keep the supporting evidence accessible through the approved records arrangement. Avoid relying on a departing employee’s memory or personal inbox.
Give the remaining questions to the appropriate continuing contact. Use the bookkeeper engagement agenda to establish which comparisons and later queries fall within their agreed work. Do not assume a bookkeeper has authority to settle a commercial disagreement.
When a supplier query affects ownership or release of equipment, tell UK Auction Group about the relevant hold and decision owner. Keep confidential account detail within the finance process. Reconciliation can clarify the question; it does not itself authorise disposal or prove that a creditor position is resolved.
Sources
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.