A ready-to-use, CA-built BRS format in Excel that does the actual reconciliation for you: a formal statement with a built-in tie-out check, plus ageing registers for outstanding cheques, uncleared deposits and bank-only items. Fully editable — only the instructions sheet is locked.
⬇️ Download the Bank Reconciliation Excel (free)Most bank reconciliation templates are just a blank two-column format. This one is a working file: you list the un-matched items in simple registers, and the statement pulls the totals, computes the balance as per the bank, and tells you the moment it ties to zero. It also ages your outstanding cheques and flags any that have gone stale beyond three months.
What you get
- A formal Bank Reconciliation Statement (Cash Book balance → add/less reconciling items → bank statement balance) with a built-in tie-out check that reads RECONCILED when the difference is zero.
- Outstanding Cheques register with automatic ageing and a STALE > 3 months flag.
- Uncleared Deposits (deposits-in-transit) register with ageing.
- Bank-only Items register — charges, interest, ECS/NACH and standing-instruction debits, NEFT/RTGS/UPI credits, dishonoured cheques and bank errors, each with a “booked?” flag.
- An optional Line-Matching aid to tick Cash Book lines against Bank Statement lines.
- A worked sample month that already ties, so you can see exactly how it flows — then clear it and enter yours.
What is a bank reconciliation statement?
A Bank Reconciliation Statement (BRS) explains the difference between the bank balance shown in your own books (the cash book / bank ledger) and the balance shown by the bank (the pass book or bank statement) on a given date. The two rarely match on any day — cheques you have issued may not have been presented, deposits may not have cleared, and the bank may have posted charges or interest you have not yet recorded. A BRS lists these timing differences and errors so the two balances can be tied together, and is a basic internal control every business should perform monthly for each bank account.
What’s inside the workbook
Who should use it
- Accountants and finance teams doing the monthly bank reconciliation for one or many accounts.
- Chartered Accountants and audit staff who want a clean, tie-out reconciliation as part of the audit file.
- Small businesses and proprietors who need a simple, reliable way to reconcile the bank every month.
How to use the Bank Reconciliation Excel
- On the BRS Statement sheet, enter your bank details, the reconciliation date, and the closing balance as per your Cash Book (enter an overdraft as a negative figure).
- List cheques you have issued that have not yet been presented in Outstanding Cheques; the sheet ages them and flags stale ones.
- List deposits recorded but not yet credited in Uncleared Deposits.
- List entries the bank has made but you have not booked (charges, interest, ECS/NACH, direct credits, dishonours) in Bank-only Items.
- Enter the actual bank statement balance on the BRS Statement. When the Difference is zero, the Status reads RECONCILED. Investigate any residual difference.
The two sides of a reconciliation
| Add to the Cash Book balance | Less from the Cash Book balance |
|---|---|
| Cheques issued but not yet presented | Cheques deposited but not yet credited |
| Interest / dividends credited by the bank, not in books | Bank charges, commission, GST and interest on OD, not in books |
| Direct credits (NEFT / RTGS / UPI / ECS) not in books | Direct debits — ECS / NACH, standing instructions — not in books |
| Amounts wrongly credited by the bank (errors in your favour) | Dishonoured cheques not yet reversed; amounts wrongly debited by the bank |
(These are the items when you reconcile from the Cash Book balance to the bank statement balance. Reverse the signs if you start from the bank statement balance.)
Common reconciling items explained
- Cheques issued but not presented — you credited the cash book when you issued the cheque, but the payee has not yet banked it, so the bank balance is still higher.
- Uncleared deposits (deposits in transit) — you debited the cash book on depositing, but the bank has not yet cleared/credited the amount.
- Bank charges, commission, GST and OD interest — debited by the bank and appearing only in the statement until you post them.
- Interest / dividends credited by the bank — added by the bank, not yet in your books.
- ECS / NACH and standing instructions — auto-debits (EMIs, insurance, utilities) or auto-credits not yet recorded.
- Dishonoured (bounced) cheques — a deposit you recorded that the bank returned unpaid.
- Errors — in your cash book, or amounts the bank has wrongly debited or credited.
Why this reconciliation template is different
Frequently asked questions
Is this bank reconciliation Excel free?
Yes. Download it and use it for as many accounts and months as you like, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Can I edit the sheets, or are they locked?
Only the branded Instructions sheet is protected. The statement and all registers are fully editable — add rows, insert columns, or adapt it to your bank’s format.
How do I know the reconciliation is complete?
Enter your actual bank statement balance on the BRS Statement. When the Difference is zero, the Status cell turns green and reads RECONCILED. Any other value means there is still an item to find.
Does it handle bank overdrafts?
Yes. Enter the Cash Book balance as a negative figure for an overdraft; the statement logic and tie-out still work.
What is a stale cheque and how is it flagged?
A cheque is normally valid for three months. The Outstanding Cheques sheet ages each cheque and flags any outstanding beyond 90 days as STALE, so you can reverse it.
Can I reconcile several months or accounts with it?
Yes. Use one copy per account, and carry forward items that are still outstanding into the next month’s registers; cleared items drop out automatically.
Related tools
Built by CalcGuru — free, CA-built utilities for accountants and businesses. Need help with a reconciliation? Ask a CA.