Quick answer
Ask for an itemised statement and copies of the missing invoices, then compare them with received goods, existing invoices, credits and payment references. Confirm the agreed payment terms and discuss any account hold directly. Do not pay a vague balance without checking it, but do not assume a missing email automatically cancels an existing payment obligation.
Find out which balance is actually disputed
A statement total can include invoices you recognise, invoices you have never seen, credits not applied and payments allocated differently from your records. Ask for the invoice numbers, dates, amounts and account number. Make sure the statement belongs to the correct shop and legal entity before discussing the balance.
If a delivery is at risk, explain that promptly and ask who can review the hold. Keep the payment investigation separate from staff arranging tomorrow’s service. A manager may need an alternative supply plan while accounts investigates; neither team should assume the other has solved it.
Match documents rather than memories
Search the accounts inbox, supplier portal and existing purchase records using the invoice number. Ask the receiver whether goods arrived and locate the delivery note. If you paid, use the payment reference and amount from your authorised accounting or banking records; do not send unrelated transactions to prove a point.
The Small Business Commissioner’s invoicing guidance stresses clear references and routing to the right person. Apply that in reverse: give the supplier enough detail to locate the document or allocation, and confirm the destination for future invoices.
| Statement item | Your finding | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice A | Received and recorded, not yet due | Confirm due date |
| Invoice B | No copy found; delivery recorded | Request invoice |
| Invoice C | Payment sent with reference C | Ask supplier to trace allocation |
| Credit D | Document received, absent from statement | Request updated statement |
Further reading: Small Business Commissioner: effective invoicing
Write a precise reconciliation request
Avoid leading with blame. A supplier may have used an old address, your spam filter may have intervened, or its accounts team may have made an allocation error. State what you can verify and what remains uncertain. Keep one thread or case reference so different staff do not receive contradictory instructions.
Your statement dated [date] shows [invoice numbers] outstanding. We have located [items] but need copies of [missing numbers]. Payment [reference, date, amount] appears not to be allocated as expected, and credit [number] is not shown. Please confirm the current account position and whether the delivery hold can be reviewed while these specific items are reconciled. Future invoices should go to [accounts address].
Resolve the balance under the actual terms
Check the contract and payment terms rather than declaring a new due date because an email was missing. If part of the balance is undisputed, discuss how to handle it with your bookkeeper and supplier while the remaining items are investigated. For a material or persistent dispute, obtain appropriate advice.
Once resolved, retain the updated statement and a note of any allocation correction. Confirm the supplier’s invoicing address and nominate a backup person to review incoming documents. Schedule a short reconciliation before the next payment run so the same missing paperwork does not surface only when a delivery is blocked.
Treat a request to change bank details as a separate verification matter. Confirm it through a trusted existing contact route; an urgent invoice dispute should not pressure staff into changing payment details without the usual checks.
Unpickle can show the delivery and recorded exceptions. Use your accounting records and supplier statement to resolve invoices, credits and payment allocation. Find the goods-received evidence.