Can balance on AR report be different to Balance sheet balances?

Thank you for visiting the Community today, varley-janine.

Correct financial statements are vital for decision-making, and securing the funding needed to grow your business. Let's change the Ageing method for your reports so they'll match the data in your Balance Sheet statement. 

Yes, balances on the Accounts receivable (A/R) ageing report can differ from those on the statement of financial position. This discrepancy occurs because the Ageing Report is set to Current. 

While the difference in amounts between your Balance Sheet and Accounts payable (A/P) ageing report might be the result of future payments made for current bills. We'll have to select Report Date as the Ageing method to match the information to the Balance Sheet statement. Here's how:

1. Open the A/R Ageing or A/P Ageing report and click the Customise button.
2. In the Customise report window, tap the Ageing drop-down to see more options. 
3. In the Ageing Method section, tick the Report Date radio button.
4. Press the Run report button for the changes to take effect.
   
   

After performing these steps, open the Balance Sheet statement and set  Accrual as the reporting method. Next, compare the data for your A/R ageing and A/P ageing with the statement of financial position.

If the amounts still differ from the reports, look at the following items:

• If a bill has been paid today it won’t show.
• Make sure the date range on the reports match.
• Be sure you're comparing the correct numbers.
• On your A/R Ageing report you want to match the Open Balance to your Balance Sheet / Trial Balance amount for Accounts Receivable.
  
  

For more in-depth information on how to fix incorrect balances in your financial statements, feel free to browse this article: Discrepancies between your Balance Sheet and Accounts Payable Ageing report.

I've compiled a set of resources that may come in handy for you later on. They cover topics such as changing reporting methods, ways to personalize sales templates, and assessing business performance. Open each link to learn the entire process:

• Run a Balance Sheet report in QuickBooks Online
• Choose between cash and accrual accounting methods in reports
• Customise reports in QuickBooks Online
  
  

Reach out to me again if you still have additional questions or concerns about reports and correcting the amounts in each one. I'll get back to provide the assistance you need. Have a good one, varley-janine.