7 best practice tips for successful supplier statement reconciliation

1. Reconcile statements regularly

Set a consistent schedule for supplier statement reconciliation. A monthly or quarterly schedule ensures that discrepancies are identified and resolved quickly. This stops errors from building up over time and provides higher accuracy for reports and forecasts.

2. Increase the quantity of reconciliations

Attempt to reconcile around 80% of your statements to get the most out of the process. However, reconciling all supplier statements would be the ultimate best practice. Manual reconciliation is only possible with a huge amount of resource, so to be truly effective, we recommend automated statement reconciliation.

3. Document statement rec clearly

Maintain records of supplier statements, invoices, purchase orders, and any relevant communication. Digital records with a backup system, such as an ERP system or organised files on your server, are an effective way to do this. A clear paper trail makes it easier to spot discrepancies and trace the source of errors. It is also valuable for audits and dispute resolution.

4. Automate supplier statement reconciliation where possible

Leverage automated statement reconciliation tools to streamline the process. Automation software can quickly match large volumes of transactions, reducing the risk of human errors, saving time and allowing you to discover value in the form of credit notes, rebates and overpayments. This technology can also help with gathering invoices and statements, reconciling the totals, creating a report, keeping documentation safe and having an audit trail. However, ensure that there’s a balance between automation and human oversight for cases that require manual intervention.

5. Communicate with suppliers effectively

Maintain clear, open lines of communication with your suppliers to build strong relationships and prevent misunderstandings. If you encounter exceptions, reach out to the vendor promptly to clarify and resolve the issues.

6. Review procedures often

Continuously assess and update your statement reconciliation procedures. Identify error patterns and implement process improvements to address underlying causes.

7. Train your team regularly

Confirm your team are aware of the procedure and any changes. If your organisation uses automated supplier statement reconciliation, ensure training is up to date so they can use new features effectively.

These best practices allow you to create an effective statement reconciliation process that can save vast amounts of time, especially compared to a manual process. This allows you to gain all the benefits, including recovery of overpayments, credits, rebates and discounts, and of course more accurate ledgers.