Perfect and near-perfect matches
When invoice number, amount, and date all agree (clean_match), or amount and date agree without a reference (date_corroborated), or the reference is formatted differently (fuzzy_ref). Tick and move on.
A perfect match (clean_match) is when the invoice reference, amount, and date all agree between the statement and your accounting system. Nothing to do — tick and move on.
A near-perfect match (date_corroborated) is when the reference is missing or different, but the amount and date agree within 7 days. The software treats this as a confident match.
A fuzzy reference match (fuzzy_ref) is when the amounts are the same but the reference numbers are formatted differently — for example, 'INV-1234' on the statement and '1234' in your system. The software removes prefixes and formatting to compare the core number.
- Exact matches clear the noise so you can see the real exceptions.
- Reference normalisation: 'INV-1001' and '1001' are the same invoice. The software strips prefixes, suffixes, leading zeros, and formatting characters before comparing.
- Leftovers after matching are not failures — they are the work.
- What to do in your accounting system: for clean_match — nothing. For date_corroborated — nothing, but you can add the reference to improve future matching. For fuzzy_ref — confirm they are the same invoice and standardise the format if you want.
Watch: see each category in the software
Fully reconciled
Tick the pair and move on
Quick check: Fully reconciled
Answer every question, then check. Pass bar is shown after submit.
1. The invoice reference, amount, and date all agree on both sides. What do you do?
Matched on amount + date
Matched on amount and date — verify if you want, then tick
Quick check: Matched on amount + date
Answer every question, then check. Pass bar is shown after submit.
1. The reference is missing or different, but the amount and date agree within 7 days. What do you do?
Reference doesn't match (amount agrees)
Confirm the references are the same invoice
Quick check: Reference doesn't match (amount agrees)
Answer every question, then check. Pass bar is shown after submit.
1. The amounts are the same on both sides, but the reference numbers are formatted differently — for example "INV-1234" vs "1234". What do you do?
Lab 1.1 — Exact click & match
Match statement lines to AP lines when invoice #, amount, and date agree. Leave true leftovers unmatched — do not force pairs.
The statement this lab is drawn from
Harbury & Blake Industrial Supplies Ltd
Unit 7, Pennington Trade Park
Foleshill Road, Coventry CV6 5RJ
VAT 412 8876 03 · Company 04871260
- Account no.
- HB-04182
- Statement date
- 31 July 2026
- Statement no.
- ST-2026-07-0413
- Currency
- GBP (£)
- Terms
- 30 days net
- Basis
- Open item
Statement of account
Account of Westmere Joinery Ltd · Accounts Payable, 14 Calder Way, Holbeck, Leeds LS11 8QP
| Date | Reference | Description | Debit | Credit | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Jul | — | Balance brought forward — 2 documents open at 30 June | $3,412.60 | ||
| 03 Jul | INV-20714 | Steel banding, 20 mm × 40 coils | $1,284.00 | $4,696.60 | |
| 09 Jul | INV-20776 | Hardwood dowel stock, 12 mm × 300 lengths | $2,145.80 | $6,842.40 | |
| 14 Jul | CRN-3391 | Credit note — 6 coils returned damaged, against INV-20714 | $192.60 | $6,649.80 | |
| 17 Jul | INV-20831 | Cabinet hinges, 100 mm brass, 12 boxes | $968.40 | $7,618.20 | |
| 22 Jul | ALL-8802 | Payment allocated in part to INV-20776 — balance remains open | $1,000.00 | $6,618.20 | |
| 28 Jul | INV-20907 | Abrasive belts, assorted grits, 15 packs | $1,376.25 | $7,994.45 | |
| 30 Jul | INV-20915 | Carriage, next-day pallet, against INV-20907 | $45.00 | $8,039.45 | |
| Totals for period | $5,819.45 | $1,192.60 | |||
| Balance carried forward at 31 July 2026 | $8,039.45 | ||||
Ageing of the closing balance
| Current | 31–60 | 61–90 | Over 90 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $4,626.85 | $2,128.60 | $1,284.00 | $0.00 | $8,039.45 |
Remittance advice
Please quote account HB-04182 and the individual document references on all payments. Where a payment settles part of a document only, please state which document it is against; unallocated cash is held on account and will show as a credit on next month's statement rather than clearing an invoice.
Queries on any line above should be raised within 14 days of the statement date.
Detach and return with payment — Account HB-04182 — Statement ST-2026-07-0413 — amount remitted £ ______________ — documents settled ______________________________
Click a statement line, then click an AP line to pair. Click a pair badge to unlink. Archetypes: S1 × L1.
Ironbark Fasteners Pty Ltd
12 Foundry Rd, Underwood QLD 4119
Statement date: 2026-03-22
Vendor statement(S1 — open-item statement)
AP / ERP extract
Lab 1.2 — Classify leftovers
Click each leftover, then click the correct bucket. One is on the statement but not in AP; one is in AP but not on the statement.
Select a card, then click a bucket. Timing and report-flavour mistakes that look like “missing” are critical fails.
Statement Zen Academy Team — Built from Statement Zen's own vendor statement reconciliation engineering and casework — pending Michael's named byline commitment (spec.md section 7). · Last updated