Beginning Balance Is Wrong
Prior reconciled periods were altered or adjusted.
Reconciliation Requires Cleanup
When Structural Issues Prevent Matching
When reconciliation cannot be completed, the problem usually exists before the current period. Cleanup is required when historical changes, structural errors, or misused clearing accounts prevent balances from aligning.
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Decision • Not Adjustment
Cleanup is required before reconciliation when historical changes, structural errors, or clearing account misuse prevent balances from matching. Reconciliation cannot proceed until the underlying issues are resolved.
Why Cleanup Must Happen First
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Reconciliation does not fix problems — it confirms accuracy. When accuracy is broken, cleanup is the only valid next step.
Clearing Accounts Are Broken
Payments and deposits no longer align structurally.
History Was Modified
Past transactions were changed, breaking reconciliation continuity.
Cleanup Restores Accuracy — Reconciliation Confirms It
When cleanup is required before reconciliation, it means the QuickBooks file no longer reflects consistent structure or historical continuity. Reconciliation cannot repair these issues. Cleanup corrects the underlying causes so reconciliation can once again function as a reliable verification step.
Experienced ProAdvisors identify cleanup requirements by tracing where balances diverged, not by forcing adjustments. When cleanup is done first, reconciliation regains meaning instead of masking deeper problems.
Root Cause First
Cleanup corrects the issue causing reconciliation failure.
No Forced Adjustments
Manual entries do not resolve structural errors.
Correct Sequence
Cleanup → reconciliation restores confidence.
Based on Cleanup-Required Reconciliation Reviews
Cleanup-required guidance reflects Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor experience reviewing files where reconciliation could not proceed due to beginning balance changes, clearing account misuse, or historical edits — not because transactions were missing.
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Certified Expertise
Gold Tier Partner
U.S.-Based Review
Objective Analysis
Reconciliation Can’t Move Forward?
When cleanup is required, proceeding without it only compounds reporting risk. The safest path forward is correcting structure and history before attempting reconciliation again.
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