A reconciliation can show zero difference while still being unreliable. Common signs include a large “other reconciling item” with no support, cheques outstanding longer than your cheque validity policy, and repeated exact-amount matches that ignore payer names.
We start quality review by reading the open-item list aloud with the account owner. If an item cannot be explained in one sentence with a document reference, it goes on the exception list.
Next we re-perform a sample of matches from the bank statement side, not from the ledger side. Starting from the bank catches duplicates that were matched twice in the cash book.
Finally we compare this month’s open-item composition with the prior month. Sudden growth in “other” without a business event is a prompt for prior-period difference investigation rather than another forced balance.