Cheque and payment register

What the cheque and payment register does

Uncleared cheques are why a cashbook and a bank statement disagree. Record each cheque or payment with the date, the payee, the number and the amount, and enter the date it clears. The register shows which are still outstanding and the total, which is what you need for your bank reconciliation.

Who it is for

Bookkeepers, accountants and business owners who pay by cheque or bank transfer and reconcile their bank accounts.

How to use the workbook

1. Record each cheque or payment when you issue it.
2. Choose the bank account it is drawn on.
3. Enter the date it clears from the bank statement.
4. Use the outstanding total for your reconciliation.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Date, payee, cheque number and amount
• Bank account from a list
• Cleared or outstanding status
• Total outstanding at the top
• Summary by status with a chart

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Payments, By status. The main table has the columns Date; Payee; Cheque or reference; Amount; Bank; Cleared on; Status. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• Number cheques in order and record voided ones.
• Check the register against the statement monthly.
• Investigate cheques that are outstanding for more than six months.
• Keep the cheque counterfoils with the register.

Why keep this record

Accounting records let you answer three questions at any time: what came in, what went out and who owes whom. Kept consistently they also make tax returns, loan applications and the sale of a business much easier, because the evidence is already organised. Entering transactions the day they happen is far cheaper than reconstructing them at year end.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Good accounting records are a legal duty as well as a management tool: keep the supporting receipts and invoices with the workbook, and keep each year's copy for at least five years. Work on a copy, never on your only file, and back it up.

Read how to keep business records for KRA for the wider picture. See more accounting templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Guide: How to keep business records for KRA: what to save and for how long
• Guide: Bank reconciliation step by step: match your books to your bank
• Guide: Fixed assets and capital allowances explained for small businesses
• Another template: 13-week cash flow forecast
• Another template: Accounting policies and procedures manual template
• Another template: Accounts payable ageing schedule

Need something different? Request a custom template, browse all guides or see every Excel template.