Matching in Accounting on Springly

Matching is an accounting operation that reconciles amounts in a third-party account (class 4 accounts). It is typically applied to accounts receivable and accounts payable.

The value of this operation is clear: it lets you verify that issued or received invoices have actually been paid. Matching can be performed automatically or manually.

In this article:

• Why matching matters
• Matching in Springly
• How to view matched or unmatched entries in the General Ledger
• Why aren't there matching codes in the General Ledger?

Why matching matters in accounting

Matching links an invoice (an accrual) to its corresponding payment.

It lets you display only unmatched transactions and justify an account balance. In practice, only amounts that have not yet been paid will appear.

Once matching is complete, your nonprofit can see at a glance:

• Which invoices still need to be paid;
• Which invoices are awaiting collection.

Matching also helps you properly prepare for the closing of an accounting period and makes it easier to produce your statement of financial position.

Matching in Springly

We chose to simplify manual matching — which can be time-consuming — by automating it wherever possible.

Matching works in two ways:

• For online transactions (through a Form or ticketing), the software automatically matches the accrual with the payment(s);
• For entries added manually via a book entry, recording a payment on the payables and receivables page will directly match the two transactions together.

You can track matchable transactions on the payables and receivables page. These are transactions posted to the following accounts:

• 411000 - Accounts receivable
• 401000 - Accounts payable
• 467000 - Contacts

Example

You have an unpaid invoice. You can find it on the Payables & Receivables page, accessible from Accounting > Book Entry > Track your payables and receivables. An outstanding balance appears.

You can record a payment against it.

Adding a payment automatically matches the two entries together.

The invoice will no longer appear in the list and will be matched to the payment.

In the case of a partial payment, matching is applied partially, and the accrual remains visible on the tracking page until the full payment — and therefore full match — is recorded.

How to view matched or unmatched entries in the General Ledger

Go to Accounting > Documents, then open the General Ledger tab.

Select the Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, or Contact General Ledger to filter entries by their matching status.

Why aren't there matching codes in the General Ledger?

Traditionally, a letter code is assigned to both the accrual and the payment to manually link them and make them easier to identify in the General Ledger.

This visual indicator is not yet available, but updates are planned to make matched entries visible in the General Ledger.