Step 1: establish the gross captured amount
Use the ecommerce platform and gateway evidence to determine what customers actually paid during the accounting period. Keep this separate from the date the processor transferred money to the bank.
Step 2: identify refunds and reversals
Refunds can occur after the original sale and may appear in a later settlement. Trace them by source reference rather than netting an unexplained amount from sales.
Step 3: identify processor charges
Fees reduce the cash settlement but normally belong in their own expense account. They should not make gross revenue disappear.
Step 4: compare the settlement window
A payout can span activity from several days. Check the processor statement dates before assuming the difference belongs to the same sales day.
Step 5: explain the residual clearing balance
The balance should represent timing or known unresolved items. Old balances need investigation, not automatic write-off.