Trust account negative-balance scanner
Open a trust transaction list (.csv or .xlsx) with a date, an amount, and a client or matter on each row. The scanner walks each client's running balance in date order and lists every date a client ledger ends the day below zero, every transaction with no client or matter, and, when you name a firm funds ledger and type a ceiling, every date that ledger ends above your figure.
The file is read in your browser and stays on this device. Nothing is uploaded.
The file is read in this browser and is not uploaded.
These are matched from the header words. Check them and change any that are wrong. Use either one amount column, or the money-in and money-out columns.
The ceiling is your own figure. The tool lists the dates the ledger ends above it and nothing more.
Opening balances (optional)Client balances before the first transaction in the file. Clients not listed start at zero.
| Client or matter | Opening balance |
|---|
Dates with a client ledger below zero
Transactions with no client or matter
Dates the firm funds ledger is above the ceiling typed
Summary by client
Account balance by date
Client ledgers
What gets checked
- At every date, the client ledger balances add up to the account balance (opening total plus every transaction so far), calculated a second way.
- Transactions in equal ledger entries out, by count, and every transaction is in exactly one ledger under its own client or matter.
- Every ledger re-adds: opening balance plus its entries equals each running balance and the closing balance.
- The lists of dates below zero, transactions with no client or matter, and dates above the ceiling match a second walk made straight from the file.
- Every row with data was read. A row that could not be read is listed with the reason and the scan is marked not verified.
- Findings (a ledger below zero, a transaction with no client, a day above the ceiling you typed) are shown as warnings beside the arithmetic checks.
How it works
- Open the transaction list. Drop a .csv or .xlsx export of trust account transactions. It is read in the browser.
- Check the column mapping. Columns are matched from the header words: date, client or matter, amount (or separate money-in and money-out columns), check number, and description. Any choice can be changed.
- Add options. Optionally type opening balances for clients who had money in trust before the first row, and name a firm funds ledger with a ceiling of your own choosing.
- Scan and export. Each client's balance is walked in date order and taken at the end of each date. The findings, a summary by client, the account balance by date, and every ledger are shown with the certificate, and can be downloaded as Excel or CSV or printed.
Worked example
A made-up month of nine trust transactions with no opening balances, a firm funds ledger named Firm funds, and a ceiling typed as $250.00.
| Date | Check no. | Payee | Client or matter | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-02 | Deposit - retainer | Alder matter | $5,000.00 | |
| 2026-03-03 | Deposit - settlement | Birch estate | $20,000.00 | |
| 2026-03-05 | 1041 | Court filing fee | Alder matter | -$435.00 |
| 2026-03-09 | 1042 | Expert witness | Cedar closing | -$1,200.00 |
| 2026-03-10 | Deposit - closing funds | Cedar closing | $1,500.00 | |
| 2026-03-12 | 1043 | Settlement payout | Birch estate | -$18,500.00 |
| 2026-03-16 | Bank service charge | -$25.00 | ||
| 2026-03-18 | Deposit - firm funds | Firm funds | $300.00 | |
| 2026-03-24 | 1044 | Refund to client | Alder matter | -$4,565.00 |
One date is listed below zero: Cedar closing ends March 9 at -$1,200.00, because check 1042 cleared the day before that client's deposit. One transaction has no client or matter: the -$25.00 bank service charge on March 16. The Firm funds ledger ends March 18 at $300.00, which is $50.00 above the $250.00 ceiling typed. Closing balances are Alder matter $0.00, Birch estate $1,500.00, Cedar closing $300.00, Firm funds $300.00, and -$25.00 with no client: together $2,075.00, the account balance after all nine transactions. The arithmetic checks pass; the three findings are shown as warnings.
The example uses made-up names and numbers.
Questions
Why are balances taken at the end of each date?
A transaction list gives a date for each row but not the order in which same-day items cleared. Taking each client's balance at the end of the date avoids reporting a dip that depends only on how the rows happen to be sorted. A check and its covering deposit on the same date are not listed; a check dated the day before its deposit is.
What ceiling does the tool use for the firm funds ledger?
Only the figure you type. The tool has no ceiling of its own and does not state what any rule allows. It lists each date the ledger you named ends the day above your figure, and by how much.
What happens to transactions with no client or matter?
They are kept in a ledger of their own so that every transaction is counted exactly once and the daily totals still add up. They are listed separately and shown as a warning.
Are two spellings of a client name one ledger?
Names that differ only by upper or lower case or by extra spaces are treated as one ledger. Any other difference, such as an abbreviation, makes a separate ledger, and near-duplicates appear as separate rows in the summary by client.
Does the scan say whether the account follows a rule?
No. It reports balances, dates, and differences. It makes no statement about what any rule, regulation, or agreement requires.
This tool calculates and checks numbers. It is not legal, tax, or medical advice.