Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready. The entire process takes less than an hour once these are in place.
- A GL trial balance export: a CSV or XLSX file containing your chart of accounts with account numbers, names, and current-period balances. Most ERPs can produce this from the general ledger module in a few clicks.
- Admin or Manager access: you need permission to create reconciliation formats and profiles. If you are not sure about your role, check with your Arvexi administrator or visit Roles and permissions.
- Supporting documentation: bank statements, subledger reports, or any external data you plan to reconcile against. These are not required for setup, but you will want them during review.
If your organization has already connected an ERP integration, your GL data may already be flowing into Arvexi automatically. In that case, skip directly to Step 2.
Step 1: Import your GL data
Navigate to the Reconciliation module and select Import from the secondary navigation bar. This opens the Smart Import Wizard, which walks you through the entire process.
Upload your file
Drag and drop your CSV or XLSX file into the upload area, or click to browse. The wizard accepts files up to 50 MB and handles most common encodings automatically. There is no need to reformat your export, Arvexi works with the file as-is.
AI column matching
Once your file is uploaded, Arvexi Cortex analyzes the column headers and sample data to automatically map each column to the correct field: account number, account name, debit balance, credit balance, net balance, and any custom attributes. Cortex handles common variations: “Acct #” maps to account number, “Net Bal” maps to net balance, and so on.
Review the suggested mappings. If Cortex is uncertain about a column, it highlights it in amber for your confirmation. In most cases, every column maps correctly on the first pass with no manual intervention.
Confirm and import
Click Import to load the data. The wizard shows a summary: total accounts imported, balances loaded, and any rows that were skipped (duplicate account numbers, missing required fields). Skipped rows are listed so you can correct and re-import if needed.
Step 2: Configure a reconciliation format
A reconciliation format defines how an account should be reconciled: the method, the required documentation, and the review checklist. Think of it as a template that you assign to groups of similar accounts.
Navigate to Reconciliation → Formats. Arvexi ships with seven default formats that cover the most common use cases:
- Bank reconciliation: match GL balance to bank statement, track outstanding items
- Accounts payable: compare GL to AP subledger, identify timing differences
- Accounts receivable: compare GL to AR subledger, flag aged items
- Intercompany: match balances across entities, surface mismatches
- Prepaid expenses: validate amortization schedules against GL
- Fixed assets: tie GL to fixed asset register, verify depreciation
- General balance sheet: balance substantiation with supporting documentation
Select the format that matches your first reconciliation. You can customize any default format, add checklist items, change the method type (balance substantiation, transaction matching, or flux analysis), or adjust materiality thresholds. For your first run, the defaults work well.
Step 3: Create reconciliation profiles
A reconciliation profile connects a specific GL account to a format and assigns the people responsible for preparing and reviewing it. Navigate to Reconciliation → Reconciliations and click New Profile.
Assign format and accounts
Select the format you configured in Step 2, then choose the GL accounts this profile applies to. You can assign a single account or a group of related accounts. For a bank reconciliation, select your operating cash account. For AP, select your trade payables accounts.
Set preparer and reviewer
Every profile requires a preparer (the person who performs the reconciliation) and a reviewer (the person who approves it). Arvexi enforces segregation of duties: the preparer and reviewer cannot be the same person.
If you are working alone during initial setup, you can assign yourself as preparer and invite a colleague as reviewer later. See Inviting your team for details.
Configure frequency
Set how often this account should be reconciled: monthly, quarterly, or annually. Monthly is the most common cadence for balance sheet accounts. The frequency determines when Arvexi surfaces this reconciliation in your worklist and when Cortex runs automated sweeps.
Step 4: Run your first Cortex sweep
With your data imported, format configured, and profile created, you are ready to let Cortex do its work. Navigate to the Command Center: the cross-module intelligence hub accessible from the top navigation bar.
Trigger a manual sweep
In the Command Center, locate the Cortex status panel and click Run Sweep. This triggers an on-demand analysis of all active reconciliation profiles. In production, Cortex runs sweeps automatically on a schedule, but for your first reconciliation, a manual trigger lets you watch the process in real time.
Watch progress
The sweep progress bar shows Cortex working through your accounts. For each profile, Cortex performs the reconciliation method defined in the format: matching transactions, comparing balances, calculating variances, and flagging items that need attention. A typical sweep across 50 accounts completes in under two minutes.
Review confidence distribution
When the sweep completes, the Command Center displays a confidence distribution chart. Each reconciled account receives a confidence score:
- High confidence (green): Cortex matched all items or the balance ties with no exceptions. These accounts are ready for quick review.
- Medium confidence (amber): Cortex found minor discrepancies or partial matches. These need a closer look.
- Low confidence (red): significant variances, unmatched transactions, or missing data. Prioritize these in your review.
The distribution gives you an instant sense of where to spend your time. On a clean close, most accounts land in the high-confidence band.
Step 5: Review and approve
Navigate to Reconciliation → Worklist. The worklist shows all reconciliations assigned to you, sorted by confidence score (lowest first) so you address problem areas before routine confirmations.
Review Cortex findings
Open a reconciliation to see what Cortex found. Depending on the format, you will see matched transactions, variance analysis, outstanding items, or balance comparisons. Each finding includes the source data and Cortex's reasoning.
For a bank reconciliation, Cortex shows you which transactions matched between the GL and bank statement, which items are outstanding (deposits in transit, outstanding checks), and any unmatched items that need investigation.
Confirm or dismiss items
Work through the findings. For each item, you can:
- Confirm: accept Cortex's match or finding. The item is marked as reconciled.
- Dismiss: reject a match if Cortex paired the wrong transactions. You can then manually match the correct items.
- Add a note: attach an explanation for auditors. Notes persist across periods for recurring items.
- Attach documentation: upload supporting files (bank confirmations, vendor statements, journal entry approvals) directly to the reconciliation.
Submit for review
Once you have reviewed all items and the reconciliation is complete, click Submit for Review. This moves the reconciliation to the reviewer's worklist with a notification. The reviewer can approve, request changes, or add their own notes.
When the reviewer approves, the reconciliation is locked for the period. Any subsequent changes create a new version with a full audit trail. Your first reconciliation is complete.
What happens next
With your first reconciliation finished, the pattern is established. In subsequent periods, Cortex runs sweeps automatically on your configured schedule, learns from your confirm and dismiss decisions to improve future matching accuracy, and surfaces only the items that genuinely need your attention. Most teams see a 60–70% reduction in manual review time by the third close cycle.