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Description

Excel for Accountants: Reliable Reconciliations, Matching and Automation

Save time on reconciliations and controls without sacrificing the audit trail on your entries

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Accountants spend a significant share of the closing period reconciling files from different sources. Extractions from the accounting system never align with bank or payroll data. Matching is carried out line by line and the same consistency checks are repeated identically every month.

These two days focus on the specifically accounting uses of Excel. Participants learn to prepare an extracted general ledger and then build automatic reconciliations and control trial balances. They put in place checks that flag anomalies instead of letting them run through to the review stage.

Learning objectives

  • Prepare a general ledger or trial balance extraction for use in Excel
  • Build an automatic reconciliation between two sets of entries
  • Put in place consistency checks that flag anomalies
  • Automate recurring formatting of closing schedules
  • Secure a working file shared between several contributors

What makes this programme different

Exercises start from trial balance and general ledger extractions as produced by accounting systems
A bank reconciliation is built end to end and then tested on an additional month
Each participant leaves with their own documented control formulas

Programme

1Working with an Accounting Extraction

From the system output to a usable worksheet

  • Correcting dates, amounts and signs
  • Splitting concatenated columns and composite descriptions
  • Rebuilding a trial balance from a general ledger
  • Converting data into structured tables that support added rows

2Reconciliation and Matching

Matching two sets of entries without working line by line

  • Lookups using unique keys and reconstructed keys
  • Handling date differences and grouped settlements
  • Isolating unmatched lines and documenting them
  • Tracking open items from one month to the next

3Controls and Review

Surfacing anomalies before the close

  • Balance checks and continuity of voucher numbering
  • Detecting duplicates and unusual amounts
  • Substantiating third-party and suspense accounts
  • Building a review file populated automatically

4Automating and Securing

Making the file repeatable from one period to the next

  • Named ranges and reusable file templates
  • Data validation and selective cell protection
  • Conditional formatting used as a control tool
  • Documenting rules so a third party can take over

Who is it for

Sole accountants, practice staff, accounts assistants and finance managers who regularly work with system extractions in Excel.

Prerequisites

Working in an accounting role and familiarity with common Excel calculation and sorting functions.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.