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Bank and Credit Card Reconciliations

Build reconciliation working papers from a bank statement and invoice folder with Claude

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What the source describes

A finance educator and former auditor, writing in the Tips & Insights on Finance & AI newsletter, describes dropping 100 invoices and a bank statement into Claude Cowork and running the reconciliation skill from Anthropic's Finance plugin. The post lays out six steps: install the plugin, create Bank_Statement and Invoices subfolders, create a Cowork project, call the skill, ask Claude to add a verification tab, and review only the exceptions. The author stresses that messy inputs still produce poor results.

Result or outcome

According to the author, the output was working papers with matched lines, variance categories, a documented audit trail and evidence references, which the author called cleaner than most reconciliation files they reviewed as an auditor. In the example, the author reviewed 47 items needing judgment while the rest of the lines reconciled cleanly.

How to run it

  1. In Claude Desktop, open Cowork, go to Customize, browse plugins, and install the Finance plugin published by Anthropic, which includes the reconciliation skill.
  2. Create one project folder with Bank_Statement and Invoices subfolders, add the statement and the PDF or Excel invoices, and name the files clearly.
  3. In Cowork, create a project from that existing folder so Claude can read and write to it each session.
  4. Type a forward slash to call the reconciliation skill, or paste the prompt on this page if you want to set your own matching rules.
  5. Ask Claude to add a verification tab with the sum of matched lines, count of mismatches, unmatched invoices and a source reference for every figure.
  6. Review the exceptions that need judgment, resolve each against the invoice and bank line, and file the working papers with your month-end records.

Try it yourself

Copyable prompt

You are preparing reconciliation working papers for [business name] for [month]. The folder contains the bank statement for [account] and a subfolder of supplier and customer invoices. Match each bank line to its invoice by amount, date window of [number] days, and counterparty name. Produce a workbook with: a matched tab (bank line, invoice reference, file name), an exceptions tab grouped by reason (no invoice, amount difference, possible duplicate, timing), and a verification tab showing the sum of matched lines, count of exceptions, and a source reference for every figure. Do not mark anything matched unless the evidence supports it.

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

What to review

Use the verification tab to tie the sum of matched lines back to the bank statement, and open a sample of matched items to confirm the invoice reference and file name are correct. The author warns that messy or badly named files still give poor results, so recheck any match built on unclear inputs. Keep supplier and customer data within your firm's AI use policy.

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

Source: Tips & Insights on Finance & AI (newsletter)

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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