Reconciling bank feed interruptions

A bank-feed interruption should be resolved by comparing the missing period with actual statements and choosing a controlled import method. Record the date range already captured so reconnecting the feed does not create gaps or duplicate entries.

Check whether the problem affects one account or all connections. Preserve supporting statements and review any automated rules that run when the delayed transactions arrive.

Establish the exact missing period

Compare the last imported transaction and balance with the actual bank statement. Record the first missing date and the latest date requiring capture. Check whether the interruption affects one account, one currency or every connection. A software dashboard can appear current while a particular account has stopped updating, so review the actual transaction history rather than relying only on a green connection icon.

Reliable business records must support the income and expenses reported. A feed interruption therefore needs a reconciliation, not just a reconnection. Keep statements and the record of any manual import used to fill the gap. The completed ledger should show one continuous history of the account, with an explanation of how the missing period was recovered and checked. ^[1]

Diagnose the connection without sharing credentials

Review the provider's status information and the bank's supported connection process. The cause may be expired authorisation, maintenance, changed access or a mapping problem. Use an appropriately authorised user to renew or reconnect. Do not send online-banking credentials to someone offering to repair the feed, and avoid changing unrelated account settings in an attempt to make a vague error message disappear.

Record the steps taken and their result, including the date range offered on reconnection. If provider support is needed, share the error and relevant account context through the proper channel without exposing unnecessary transaction or security information. A concise incident note helps prevent several staff members from trying conflicting reconnections or importing the same missing period independently.

Choose one controlled way to fill the gap

Decide whether the restored feed will retrieve the missing transactions or a statement import is required. Check the supported date range before importing. If manual entry is unavoidable for a small number of items, record the source and references carefully. Do not combine all three methods without a reconciliation plan, because the restored feed may later bring in transactions that have already been entered.

Preserve the original statement file and document any transformation needed for import. Check date format, currency, signs and opening balance. A credit-card statement may represent amounts differently from a current-account file, so do not reuse a mapping without review. Test a small representative set if the format is unfamiliar, then compare the result with the source before importing the full missing range.

Reconcile the recovered transactions

Match the opening and closing balances and compare the number and value of transactions over the recovered period. Review receipts and payments that should match existing invoices or bills. A delayed feed can generate suggested new entries for transactions already recorded manually, so check the matching queue carefully. Resolve duplicate or missing items individually using the source evidence rather than forcing the reconciliation through a balancing entry.

Review automated categorisation rules that ran when the backlog arrived. Rules may have changed during the interruption, or an unfamiliar merchant description may have caused incorrect coding. Focus on the affected range and high-risk categories. A restored connection proves that data is flowing again; it does not establish that the backlog was classified or matched correctly for accounting and tax purposes.

Assess any reporting impact and monitor recovery

Identify whether a VAT return, MTD update or management report was prepared while the records were incomplete. Compare the submitted or issued figures with the corrected ledger and obtain advice about any required amendment. Keep the reporting question separate from the technical repair. A successful reconnection should not close the issue if an earlier report still contains a material omission.

Use Avoiding duplicate transactions in bookkeeping software for duplicate checks and Cloud bookkeeping setup to discuss recovery of an interrupted bank feed. State the software, affected account type and missing dates without sending credentials. A practical review can then define the recovery method, reconciliation and any reporting follow-up, making the restored record dependable rather than merely reconnecting the service.

Add a simple ongoing check of the latest imported date and unreconciled balance to the monthly routine. Assign a backup owner for renewal notices. This makes a future interruption visible earlier and reduces the chance that several reporting periods are prepared from an account that silently stopped supplying transactions.

Illustrative scenario

A business feed stops for ten days and later reconnects. The bookkeeper compares the recovered transactions with the manual upload and reconciles the whole period before marking it complete.

Preparation checklist

• Identify the missing range
• Retain bank statements
• Check reconnection overlap
• Reconcile the restored period