Bank & card accounts
Compare statement activity to cash and card ledgers. Identify unrecorded fees, transfers, duplicate postings and payments or receipts still clearing.
BANK, LEDGER & BALANCE RECONCILIATION · DUBAI & UAE
Account reconciliation services in Dubai. Know why the numbers differ.
A matching total is only the beginning. A&A helps trace transactions, investigate differences and document the evidence behind your bank, customer, supplier and intercompany balances.
- Agreed scope
- Clear responsibilities
- Practical reporting
Supported balancesTrace figures to their source records.
Visible exceptionsKnow what remains unresolved.
Approved correctionsKeep the reasoning behind each change.
A CLEAR STARTING POINT
What is account reconciliation?
Account reconciliation compares a balance or transaction record with an independent statement or supporting schedule. Differences are investigated and explained; genuine errors are corrected through approved entries. A completed reconciliation shows both the supported balance and any unresolved items.
Bank reconciliation is one part of the process. Supplier statements, customer receipts, payment gateways, related-company balances and control accounts can each reveal different issues. Agree the accounts, period, currency and cut-off before matching transactions so you compare like with like.
A&A’s account reconciliation services in Dubai support a one-off review or a recurring close. We look for duplicate postings, missed charges, unmatched receipts and differences between systems. A reconciling item should have a reason and next action; it should not disappear into an unexplained adjustment.
See what to prepare →
DEFINED WORK. USEFUL OUTPUTS.
Which accounts can be reconciled?
Select the accounts and frequency that match your business. High-volume collections may need a different review rhythm from a low-activity balance-sheet account.
Supplier accounts
Match supplier statements with payable ledgers, invoices, credit notes and payments. Separate missing documents from genuine disputes.
Customer accounts
Allocate receipts against invoices and credits. Investigate unidentified deposits, unapplied cash and balances that distort receivables ageing.
Intercompany balances
Compare both entities’ records at the same date. Investigate currency, timing, classification and one-sided posting differences.
Payment gateways & marketplaces
Reconcile gross sales, refunds, fees, reserves and payouts. A net bank settlement should not be mistaken for the full sales value.
Control accounts & schedules
Agree selected ledger balances to supporting payroll, asset or tax schedules. Flag issues requiring specialist accounting or tax judgement.
HOW THE WORK MOVES FORWARD
A reconciliation is complete when differences are explained.
- 01
Set the comparison
Confirm accounts, dates, currencies and opening positions. Obtain independent records and detail from the accounting system.
- 02
Match & classify
Match transactions and separate timing differences, omissions, duplicates and items needing further evidence.
- 03
Investigate & approve
Request supporting information. Prepare justified corrections and obtain approval through the agreed workflow.
- 04
Report & follow up
Deliver the reconciliation and aged open-item list. Assign owners and review unresolved items in the next cycle.
We agree the sequence, information deadlines and review points before work begins.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SUPPORT
Bank reconciliation, ledger review or backlog clean-up?
These services solve related but different problems. Choosing the right scope prevents a narrow bank check from being mistaken for a complete review of the books.
Swipe across the table to compare all columns →
| Service | Main question answered | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Bank reconciliation | Does the cash ledger agree with the bank after explained differences? | Does not by itself validate every non-cash balance. |
| Supplier / customer reconciliation | Do invoices, credits, payments and outstanding balances agree? | Disputed items may need commercial resolution. |
| Intercompany reconciliation | Do related entities record matching positions? | Agreement does not determine transfer-pricing treatment. |
| General ledger review | Are balances supported and consistently classified? | Accounting judgements may need further review. |
| Backlog accounting | Can missing historical records be reconstructed? | Often includes reconciliation plus wider catch-up work. |
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE — NOT CLIENT RESULTS
A simple bank reconciliation example.
Illustrative amounts in AED show why timing differences and missing entries require different actions. These figures are not customer data.
Swipe across the table to compare all columns →
| Reconciliation item | Amount / calculation | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Bank statement closing balance | AED 48,000 | The bank’s balance at the agreed date. |
| Deposit in transit | + AED 5,000 | Recorded in the books but not yet credited by the bank. |
| Outstanding payment | − AED 2,000 | Recorded in the books but not yet cleared by the bank. |
| Adjusted bank balance | AED 51,000 | 48,000 + 5,000 − 2,000. |
| Ledger balance before charges | AED 51,200 | The books still omit a bank charge. |
| Unrecorded bank charge | − AED 200 | A supported entry brings the ledger to AED 51,000. |
Do not post another transaction for a genuine timing difference that is already in the ledger. Follow up its clearance. Tax classification of a charge requires its own supporting review.
PREPARE FOR YOUR FIRST CONVERSATION
What documents do you need?
Provide both sides of the comparison and supporting transaction detail. Summary balances alone rarely explain why an account does not reconcile.
- 01
Statements for the period
Bank and card statements, supplier statements or payment-provider reports for the accounts being reviewed.
- 02
Ledger & trial balance
Detailed account exports with dates, descriptions, currencies and transaction references, plus the period-end trial balance.
- 03
Invoices, credits & receipts
Source documents for transactions under review, including remittance advice and explanations for cash allocations.
- 04
Previous reconciliation
The last completed reconciliation and its outstanding items help establish whether a difference is new or carried forward.
- 05
Both sides of group balances
For intercompany work, provide matching period exports from each entity and the agreed currency or exchange-rate basis.
- 06
Approval & follow-up contacts
Identify who can confirm transactions, request statements and approve adjustments or proposed write-offs.
KNOW WHO DOES WHAT
Clear ownership, from preparation to approval.
The engagement letter confirms the final allocation. This working model helps you plan the conversation.
Swipe across the table to compare all columns →
| Activity | A&A’s role within scope | Your business’s role |
|---|---|---|
| Matching records | Compare the agreed accounts and identify differences. | Provide complete statements and ledger exports. |
| Investigating exceptions | Explain findings and request evidence. | Resolve business questions and third-party disputes. |
| Correcting entries | Prepare documented adjustments within scope. | Approve postings and any proposed write-offs. |
| Recurring controls | Deliver an open-item register and follow-up points. | Assign owners and act on outstanding queries. |
BUILT AROUND YOUR OPERATIONS
Different businesses. Different priorities.
Dubai mainland and free-zone businesses can have different reporting needs. We confirm the entity, activity and applicable requirements instead of assuming one approach fits every company.
Retail & e-commerce
High-volume card payments and marketplace payouts require gross-to-net settlement checks, including fees, refunds and withheld reserves.
Trading companies
Supplier credits, deposits and foreign-currency transactions can leave balances unmatched even when individual payments look correct.
Groups & shared-service teams
Different posting dates and account mappings can create intercompany differences. Both sides need a common cut-off and agreed follow-up.
FEES & DELIVERY
A quote based on the work you need.
A reconciliation quote depends on how much matching and investigation is required. The number of bank accounts alone does not indicate the complexity of the work.
- Accounts, currencies and period length
- Transaction volume and data format
- Age and number of unmatched items
- Required frequency and review level
PRACTICAL ANSWERS
Account reconciliation. Your questions answered.
Start here, then discuss the details that depend on your records, deadlines and business structure.
Ask the A&A team →How often should accounts be reconciled?
Frequency depends on volume, risk and reporting needs. Monthly reconciliation is a common close practice, while high-volume collection accounts may need more frequent checks. Agree a timetable for each account and carry open items into the next review.
Should every difference be corrected with a journal entry?
No. Some differences are timing items, such as payments recorded in the books but not yet cleared by the bank. Genuine errors may require approved entries. Unsupported balancing adjustments can hide the underlying problem.
What is the difference between reconciliation and bookkeeping?
Bookkeeping records transactions. Reconciliation checks those records against statements or supporting schedules and explains differences. The two processes work together, but completing data entry does not mean every account has been reconciled.
Can you reconcile supplier and customer accounts as well as banks?
Yes, these can be included in the agreed scope. Supplier work compares invoices, credits, payments and statement balances. Customer work also examines receipt allocation and unapplied cash, so outstanding balances reflect the available evidence.
What if an old difference cannot be explained?
Keep it on an exception register with its amount, age, evidence requested and responsible owner. Escalate it for the appropriate accounting or management decision. It should not be silently written off just to make a reconciliation appear complete.
Will reconciliation prove there is no fraud?
No. Reconciliation can highlight unusual or unauthorised activity, but it is not a forensic investigation or assurance engagement. If fraud is suspected, preserve the original evidence and discuss a specialist scope before making changes.
SOURCES & SCOPE
Keep the evidence behind your numbers.
For UAE Corporate Tax, relevant records generally need to be retained for at least seven years after the applicable tax period. Read the Federal Tax Authority’s record-keeping guidance ↗
Retention, filing and correction requirements depend on the facts and applicable rules. This page is general service information, not a tax opinion or an audit. About A&A Tax Consultants · Updated .
LET’S AGREE YOUR NEXT STEP
Turn unexplained differences into clear next steps.
Tell us your business activity, current software and immediate priority. We’ll discuss the scope before proposing the work.
Prefer to call? +971 50 650 4509