Implementing Cash Management (CM) is an exciting milestone, but overlooking one critical step before go-live can create reporting discrepancies that may be difficult to explain later. A recent implementation highlighted just how important it is to complete a bank reconciliation for the month prior to go-live.

The Issue

During a Cash Management implementation, I ran the CM Checkbook Report to verify the checking account balance for the first month after go-live. Surprisingly, the balance on the report did not match the corresponding General Ledger cash account.

At first glance, this didn't make sense. All bank reconciliations after go-live had been completed, so why was there a discrepancy?

After researching the issue in the Viewpoint Customer Portal, the answer became clear.

How the CM Checkbook Report Calculates Beginning Balances

When launching the CM Checkbook Report, you are presented with two options:

• Automatically Calculate Beginning Balance?
• If NOT Auto Calculating, Enter Beginning Balance Override

By default, the report is set to Automatically Calculate Beginning Balance.

When this option is selected, the report:

1. Locates the Statement Balance from the most recent bank statement prior to the report's beginning date.
2. Adds or subtracts any transactions (deposits, checks, transfers, and adjustments) that occurred between the statement date and the report beginning date.
3. Uses this calculation to determine the report's ending balance.

Why Skipping the Pre-Go-Live Reconciliation Causes Problems

If no bank reconciliation is performed for the month prior to go-live, CM has no historical statement balance to reference.

Without that statement balance, the CM Checkbook Report cannot properly calculate the beginning balance when the automatic calculation option is selected. As a result, the ending balance for the first month after go-live—and potentially future reporting periods—may be incorrect.

The Temporary Workaround

There is a workaround:

• Uncheck Automatically Calculate Beginning Balance
• Manually enter the correct beginning bank balance

While this resolves the issue for a single report run, it becomes an ongoing maintenance task that must be repeated every time the CM Checkbook Report is generated. Most organizations prefer a more permanent solution.

The Recommended Solution

The best practice is to perform a bank reconciliation for the month immediately preceding go-live.

Example

If your CM go-live date is January 1, 2026, complete a reconciliation for the statement ending December 31, 2025.

Steps to Create the Pre-Go-Live Reconciliation

1. Set the GL Interface Level

In CM Company Parameters, set the GL Interface Level to No Update.

2. Create an Outstanding Entry

Navigate to CM Outstanding Entries and enter a lump-sum deposit equal to the ending bank statement balance prior to go-live.

3. Create a Historical Statement

In CM Statement Control, create a statement using the month-end date immediately before go-live.

For example:

• Go-Live Date: 01/01/2026
• Statement Date: 12/31/2025

4. Clear the Deposit

Go to CM Clear Entries, select the CM account, and clear the lump-sum deposit against the statement dated 12/31/2025.

5. Close the Statement

Return to CM Statement Control and close the statement for 12/31/2025.

The Result

Once this pre-go-live reconciliation is completed, the CM Checkbook Report will have a valid historical statement balance to reference. With Automatically Calculate Beginning Balance selected, the report will calculate beginning and ending balances correctly for the go-live month and all future reporting periods.

Key Takeaway

A pre-go-live bank reconciliation may seem like a small task, but it plays a critical role in ensuring accurate Cash Management reporting. Taking the time to create and reconcile a historical statement before go-live can prevent reporting discrepancies, eliminate the need for manual beginning balance overrides, and provide confidence that your CM Checkbook Report will accurately reflect your bank balances from day one.

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