For every statement, PDFDrill checks that the extracted transactions get you from the opening balance to the closing balance, to the cent:
- Bank account: opening balance + money in − money out = closing balance.
- Credit card: opening amount owed + charges − payments and credits = closing amount owed.
PASS means the statement passed its checks and the amounts add up exactly. A missed transaction or a wrong sign changes the total, so it shows up as a difference, unless another mistake happens to cancel it out (for example, a missed deposit and a missed withdrawal of the same amount). So a PASS is a strong check, not absolute proof.
FAIL means the statement didn't pass one or more of its checks, and the statement shows the reason. Reasons include:
- the amounts don't add up: you see the exact difference;
- a required detail is missing, such as the statement period;
- details read from the statement don't agree with each other.
When the reason isn't the amounts, the difference can show $0.00. Either way the statement stays in your ledger so you can fix it. See what to do when a statement shows FAIL.
What PASS doesn't prove: it doesn't check each transaction's description or date, and it can't catch errors that cancel each other out. Skim the larger transactions against the PDF before you export.
More on how card statements are handled: bank vs credit card statements.