Accounts receivable reconciliation is the process of checking that the total of your customer balances (the AR sub-ledger) agrees with the accounts receivable control account in your general ledger. When the two do not match, something has been posted to one but not the other, and the difference needs investigating.
This free template lists each customer's sub-ledger balance against their statement or confirmed balance, flags any customer-level difference, and reconciles the sub-ledger total to your general ledger control account, where the difference should be zero. It includes a checklist of common reconciling items and works in Excel or Google Sheets.
If your invoices are in Xero or QuickBooks Online, Paidnice posts late fees and interest straight to the ledger, so those charges already match when you reconcile.
Reconciling AR every month catches errors, missed payments and timing issues early, and keeps your balance sheet trustworthy.
How the reconciliation works
There are two checks. First, per customer, your sub-ledger balance should match what the customer agrees they owe. Second, the total of all customer balances should equal the AR control account in the general ledger.
Sub-ledger total (sum of all customer balances) = General ledger AR control account
If they differ, the gap is a reconciling item to find and fix.
Common reconciling items the template lists include unrecorded payments, invoices in one record but not the other, credit notes applied to only one, period-end timing differences, and misposted or duplicated entries. At higher volumes an integrated receivables platform matches each payment to its invoice before the reconciliation starts.
What should an AR reconciliation template include?
A reconciliation template needs four parts so anyone can follow the check and see who signed it off:
- Header information: the entity, the period end date and the GL account being reconciled.
- Balance comparison: the sub-ledger total against the GL control account, with the difference.
- Reconciling items: each item that explains the difference, such as unrecorded payments or timing differences.
- Sign-off: who prepared the reconciliation, who reviewed it, and the dates.
How do you reconcile accounts receivable?
Total your AR sub-ledger (the sum of all customer balances) and compare it to the accounts receivable control account in your general ledger. Investigate any difference using a list of common reconciling items, correct the errors, and confirm the two balances agree. The template structures this for you.What is accounts receivable reconciliation?
It is the control check that your detailed customer balances add up to the single AR figure in your general ledger. It confirms that every invoice, payment and credit note has been recorded consistently in both places.What are common reconciling items?
Unrecorded or deposited-in-transit customer payments, invoices posted to the ledger but not the sub-ledger (or vice versa), credit notes or write-offs applied to one record only, period-end timing differences, and misposted or duplicated amounts.How often should I reconcile AR?
Most businesses reconcile accounts receivable monthly, as part of the period-end close. Reconciling regularly keeps differences small and easy to find.Does the template work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Open the Excel file in Google Sheets or use the CSV. The functions used (SUM, IF) work identically in both.Last updated September 28, 2026. This guide is general information, not accounting, tax, or financial advice.