Manually Reconciled, but QuickBooks is still off

Summary

I have reconciled a client's books by hand through 10/31/xx. The beginning balance in the reconciliation window is totally wrong. How can I make this thing reconcile so the client can use it in the future?!?

Question

I have reconciled a client's books by hand through 10/31/xx. The beginning balance in the reconciliation window is totally wrong. How can I make this thing reconcile so the client can use it in the future?!?

Answer

If the "beginning balance" in QuickBooks doesn't match the balance at the end of last month (per the bank statement), then there is a problem with the transactions in QuickBooks. Either something is clicked (marked reconciled in the register) that shouldn't be, or something should be clicked that isn't. Or possibly one of the numbers are wrong, but if you manually reconciled, I assume you've verified the numbers.

Check very carefully through the register to see that each transaction is marked cleared correctly. Although I HIGHLY recommend against it, you could just "adjust" the register using the reconcile screen. Enter the correct ending balance, click nothing and then click "reconcile now". It will say you have a difference and you can just adjust it. It will then create a transaction in Opening Balance Equity and you can recode that to some expense account. I really hate to see you do that though. It just has to be findable...