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# Match a statement and close a month

**Match statement** checks the entries in Creatures against your bank statement and marks the ones that cleared. **Close month** then locks that month, so nothing dated in it changes by accident.

Do this once a month, after your bank rows are sorted out. Owners and bookkeepers can match and close. A reviewer can look but can't change anything.

## Before you start

Have your paper or PDF statement in front of you. If you imported the statement, clear its rows in **Bank review** first. See [Import a bank statement and review the rows](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/import-a-bank-statement-and-review-the-rows-14f3zh0/).

## Match a statement

1. Open **Finance**, select **Accountant tools**, then select **Reconciliation**. You can also start from **Finish reconciliation** in **Bank review**.
2. Under **Statement details**, pick the **Account**. **Statement date** starts on today's date. Change it to the last day your statement covers. Type the **Statement currency**, such as USD, and tick **This currency is shown on my statement**. Then type the **Statement ending balance** printed on the statement. For a bank account, **Ending balance convention** is already set to **Account balance**. For a credit card, choose the one that matches how your statement shows what you owe.
3. Select **Review lines** to load the entries up to that date.

If you came from **Review match** in Bank review, your imported statement's date, balance and currency are already filled in.

![Statement details for Cash Checking dated Aug 31, 2026, with USD confirmed, Account balance chosen and a USD 0.00 difference](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/144/bc0/aa3/5389a.png?width=1599)

4. Under **Lines on this statement**, leave **On statement** ticked only for the deposits, payments, fees and transfers that appear on your statement. Untick anything that hasn't cleared the bank yet.
5. Check the four totals. **Already cleared** comes from statements you matched before. **Selected lines** adds up the ticked lines. **Statement balance** is the number you typed. **Difference** needs to reach 0.00, and the label at the top changes to **Ready to match**.
6. Select **Mark selected lines as matched**. It stays grayed out until the currency matches your records and the difference is zero.

![Four August lines ticked as On statement, above Mark selected lines as matched](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/157/d8d/1dc/6e96c.png?width=1600)

The match then shows under **Recent matched statements**.

## If the difference isn't zero

Creatures won't save a match that's off. It tells you how far apart the two numbers are. The usual causes:

- A bank fee or charge isn't in Creatures yet. Record it from **Bank review**, then come back.
- A ticked line belongs on next month's statement. Untick it.
- The ending balance was mistyped, the wrong **Account** is picked, or the **Ending balance convention** doesn't match the statement.
- **Difference** says **Currency needed**. Check that **Statement currency** matches your records, such as USD, and that its box is ticked.

## Close the month

1. Select **Close month** at the top of the Match statement page.
2. Check the **Close-through date**. It starts on the last day of last month. If you change it, select **Review checklist**.
3. Read the **Close checklist**:
   - The **uncleared lines** count shows entries still waiting for a statement match. They block the close.
   - The **draft transactions** count shows unfinished entries. They block the close too.
   - The **larger transactions without paperwork** count shows entries of 75.00 or more, such as USD 75.00, with no receipt attached. This is only a warning.
   - **Locked through** shows the date your records are already closed to.

![Close checklist for Sep 30, 2026 with 4 uncleared lines, 0 drafts, 6 larger transactions without paperwork and Needs review](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/052/02c/671/60bb2.png?width=1600)

4. When the checklist reads **Ready to close**, select the button that names your date, such as **Close through Sep 30, 2026**.

Sometimes an item can't be fixed yet, such as a statement that hasn't arrived. Type a short **Exception note** that says why, then select **Close with exception**. Your note is saved with the close.

![Lock this period with Close through Sep 30, 2026 unavailable, an exception note field and Close with exception](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/cab/d01/cd7/fc932.png?width=1599)

## What a closed month means

- Creatures won't save a new entry dated on or before the close-through date.
- A statement that ends in a closed month can't be matched. Imported bank rows dated in it wait until an owner reopens the month.
- **Accountant tools** and **Accounting Review** show **Locked through** with the date.
- **Close history** keeps a record of every close and reopen.

You can't close a date in the future.

## Reopen a month

Only owners can reopen. Below the close buttons, enter a **New close-through date** to keep earlier months closed. Leave it blank to reopen every closed month. Add a **Reason**, then select **Reopen period**. The reopen and its reason appear in **Close history**.

![Reopen form with a new close-through date of July 31, 2026 and a reason, above close history showing Aug 31, 2026 closed](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/e5d/41c/31a/4372e.png?width=1600)

### Related information

- [Import a bank statement and review the rows](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/import-a-bank-statement-and-review-the-rows-14f3zh0/)
- [The accountant view and reports](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/the-accountant-view-and-reports-1ulnsyv/)
- [Prepare your year-end package for your accountant](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/prepare-your-year-end-package-for-your-accountant-105owj5/)
- [Setting up your books](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/setting-up-your-books-1rq6z1o/)