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Bank and Credit Card Reconciliations

Build a Formatted Reconciliation Workbook from CSVs with Claude

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What the source describes

Anthropic's help article says Claude can execute code to create and work with files directly in a conversation, producing Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Word documents and PDFs that you can download or save to Google Drive. It says code execution and file creation are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, on the web, Claude Desktop and Claude Mobile. Its examples include building financial models in Excel with working formulas and performing advanced analyses on uploaded data, which is what a reconciliation workbook built from bank and ledger exports needs.

Result or outcome

According to the source, when you describe the spreadsheet you need, Claude produces an Excel file with proper formulas, formatting and even charts, which you can download directly from the conversation.

How to run it

  1. Export the bank statement and the cash account ledger detail for the same period as CSV, and remove account numbers, names and other identifying details.
  2. In Claude on the web or the desktop app, attach both files and paste the prompt on this page with your account, month and date window filled in.
  3. Download the Excel file Claude creates, or save it to Google Drive, and open it in Excel or Google Sheets.
  4. Click into the Reconciliation sheet to confirm the cells hold formulas that point at the raw data, then check the balances against the statement.
  5. Work the unmatched lists against source documents, post any corrections in your accounting software yourself, and keep the workbook as support.

Try it yourself

Copyable prompt

I have attached two CSV files for [account name] for [month]: the bank statement export and the cash account ledger detail from [accounting software]. Account numbers and names have been removed. Build an Excel workbook with these sheets: Bank (statement lines, unchanged), Ledger (ledger lines, unchanged), Matches (pairs matched on amount and a date within [3] days, with a match ID), Unmatched Bank, Unmatched Ledger, and Reconciliation (statement ending balance, plus deposits in transit, minus outstanding checks, compared with the ledger balance, with the difference in a highlighted cell). Use live formulas that point at the Bank and Ledger sheets, not typed values. Flag possible duplicates. Do not invent entries to make it balance. Then list what I need to investigate.

Replace the [bracketed] placeholders. Remove client names, account numbers, and personal data before pasting into any AI tool.

What to review

Check that the Bank and Ledger sheets hold every line from the exports, with row counts and totals matching the files, before you trust the matches. A zero difference can hide two offsetting errors, so review matched pairs above your threshold and anything matched on amount alone.

Related free download: Bank Reconciliation Cheat Sheet (Printable cheat sheet (PDF))

Source: Claude Help Center

Not professional advice. This is general information, not accounting, tax, legal or financial advice. Check AI output yourself and consult a licensed professional for your situation. See our Terms of Use.

This entry summarizes a public source. Features, plans, and availability change, so confirm details with the vendor. Tool names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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