Follow the two sides
A clearing account can help connect recorded activity with later transfers, but its meaning depends on the configured workflow. Identify what increases it and what reduces it. Do not assume an account named “clearing” contains only one payment service, currency or reporting period. A useful review begins with an opening amount and a list of expected movements.
Use a roll-forward
The original worksheet below calculates opening balance plus increases minus decreases. It compares that result with a stated closing balance. Use consistently signed categories and one currency. For example, an opening 200 plus 900 recorded increases minus 850 decreases leaves 250. That number may include valid unsettled activity. Arithmetic agreement is not evidence that all entries are appropriate.
Investigate the age, not just the size
Split the balance into known pending transfers, supported reserves, timing differences and unresolved items in your own records. A small old amount may deserve more attention than a large recent transfer. Link My Books’ gateway guidance identifies missing sides of the workflow as one possible cause of a growing balance; it does not establish that cause for every account.
Assign the next question
For each unresolved item, note the identifier, period, amount, evidence needed and responsible reviewer. Keep personal and banking data out of this site. If you cannot explain the opening position, resolve that before treating the current month as a clean start. Changes to accounting balances should be reviewed by the person responsible for the books, not inferred from this calculator.
Sources used for this page
These records support the facts and comparisons above. Merchant-controlled records are labelled so you can separate product claims from independent evidence.
- Shopify payment gateways — Merchant documentation · help.linkmybooks.com · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-30
- Amazon reserve balances — Merchant documentation · help.linkmybooks.com · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-30