A weekly payment reconciliation routine for gyms
Separate bookings, charges, refunds and payouts so the gym's financial records tell the same story.
A paid booking and a bank payout are different events
A successful charge may reach your bank later, and a payout may combine many transactions. Processing fees and refunds can change the amount received. Comparing this week's bookings directly with this week's bank deposits therefore produces misleading differences. Follow the transaction through the booking record, payment provider and payout reference. Keep cash and bank-transfer entries distinguishable from card charges so a manual record is not mistaken for a second payment.
A practical checklist
- Choose a regular reconciliation period and use consistent date boundaries.
- Match transaction references before comparing aggregate totals.
- List refunds, disputed charges and fees as separate adjustments.
- Assign unresolved differences to a person and a follow-up date.
Put it into practice
For one sample payout, reconcile the contributing charges and adjustments to the amount in the bank. Use that exercise when evaluating a software ledger. The useful test is whether staff can explain a difference, not whether two dashboard totals happen to match on a quiet day.