On this page
A statement summarises your account transactions and balance. We issue one on the 1st of each month, covering the previous calendar month, and it sits in your account as a PDF. It does not replace the individual invoices or prove that a recent payment has been allocated to the right job. Reconcile the lines as well as the final total.
Work through the account in date order
Start with any brought-forward balance. If you had an account with us before our current system, the balance carried over shows as brought forward and is part of what the account owes. Then match each invoice, credit and payment to your own records. Each invoice prints our order reference and, if you gave one, your PO or job reference. Check the statement's date: a payment made afterwards cannot be expected to appear on that earlier snapshot.
For each invoice, note the reference, amount and due date. Keep credits against the invoices they adjust. An unallocated payment can make an invoice appear unpaid even when the overall account has received money, so include the payment reference when asking for a check.
A useful reconciliation request
Send the statement date, disputed line, your expected amount and the relevant invoice or payment evidence. For example, identify the bank transfer date and reference rather than sending an entire bank statement with unrelated transactions.
- Check the opening balance.
- Match invoices and credits.
- Match payments by date, amount and reference.
- Identify anything missing or allocated differently.
- Ask for a corrected statement or explanation of the remaining difference.
Do not remove a balance from your records solely because you have queried it. Ask the accounts team to explain how the disputed and undisputed amounts should be handled under the agreed terms.
Credit limits and saved cards
An available credit limit is different from the statement balance. Checkout shows your available credit and what is currently on the account, and an order that would take the account over its limit cannot go on account. A saved card charges invoices automatically only where auto-charge is switched on for your account. See paying your trade account.
If an automatic payment has failed, ask which invoice remains due and avoid making a duplicate payment while the outcome is uncertain. Never send full card details with a reconciliation request.
Use invoices and credit notes for an incorrect document and applying for a credit account if the account terms themselves need reviewing. For help with this task, contact the team with the relevant reference and the outcome you need.
Questions we get asked
Why is a payment missing from the statement?
Check the statement date and the payment reference. A later payment or an unallocated receipt may not appear against the expected invoice yet; send the details for reconciliation.
Does a credit balance mean a refund has been sent?
No. A credit balance can remain on the account. Ask whether it will be allocated to an invoice or repaid, and keep the confirmation of the agreed treatment.
Which figure should I dispute?
Identify the invoice, credit or payment line and the amount you believe is wrong. Include supporting references so the team can investigate the specific difference rather than reconstructing the whole account.
Contact the team with your order reference and the step you need help with, or search all help topics.