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How to check a bank statement conversion is accurate

Wrong numbers in a spreadsheet look exactly like right ones. The only reliable test is the statement itself: the bank already printed the answer, and every converted row has to add up to it.

Updated · 3 min read

The one rule: the numbers must add up

Every statement contains its own proof. Opening balance + money in − money out = closing balance. Most statements also print a running balance after each transaction or each day, and every one of those is a checkpoint along the way.

If every converted row moves the balance to exactly the figure the bank printed, the conversion is right, to the cent. If it doesn't, something was misread, and the checkpoint tells you where.

What Signavos checks on every conversion

  • Every running balance. Each printed balance confirms every row since the previous one. One that doesn't match turns those rows red, and the check carries on from the printed figure, so one bad row doesn't hide the rest.
  • Opening to closing. The opening balance plus all transactions must equal the closing balance.
  • Printed totals. When the statement prints "Total payments" or "Total deposits", the converted rows must add up to the same sums.
  • Signs. If a statement prints amounts without saying which are money in or out, the sign is read from the running balance: if the balance went down, it was money out. If there's no balance to compare against, the row is marked unverified, never guessed.

Reading the result

Balance results
ResultMeaningWhat to do
✅ VerifiedEvery row is confirmed by a balance printed on the statementUse it.
⚠️ MismatchAt least one row disagrees with a printed balance; those rows are redCompare the red rows with the page in the PDF. Not charged if it cannot be fixed.
UnverifiedThe statement prints nothing that can confirm some rows (no running balance, no closing balance)Spot-check against the PDF before relying on it.

Why a chatbot answer needs checking too

General AI chatbots can turn a short statement into a table, and for a page or two that's often fine. On long statements they can skip or invent rows, and they rarely tell you. The balance check is the difference: it doesn't ask you to trust the reader. It shows you the statement's own numbers agree.

Whatever tool you use, do this check before the numbers go into your books or a tax return.

Checking a conversion yourself in a spreadsheet

  1. Put the statement's opening balance in a cell above the first row.
  2. Add a column: previous balance + this row's signed amount.
  3. Add a second column comparing it with the balance printed on that row; any difference above 0.00 is a misread row.
  4. Check the last computed balance against the statement's closing balance.

Frequently asked questions

Can a conversion balance and still be wrong?
Rarely. Two errors would have to cancel out exactly between the same two printed balances. A description can still be misread, which doesn't affect the totals, so skim descriptions on anything you will file.
Do I pay for a statement that does not balance?
Pages that fail the balance check and cannot be fixed are not charged, and the preview is always free. Every new account also gets one conversion free.
Can I prove the conversion to someone else?
Yes. Each conversion can come with a certificate listing the original file's fingerprint, the output file's fingerprint and the balance result for every page.

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