The Department of Posts, Financial Services Division has issued SB Order No. 09/2026 dated 24 July 2026, introducing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Accounting and Verification of Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) transactions after the implementation of APT 2.0. The SOP provides detailed guidelines for Branch Post Offices (BOs), Sub Post Offices (SOs), Head Post Offices (HOs), SBCO, and supervisory authorities to ensure accurate accounting and timely reconciliation of CBS transactions.
Purpose of the SOP
With the integration of Finacle, DREAM App, and APT 2.0, all CBS transactions are now accounted through API integration before the Day End process. The Department has made daily verification and reconciliation mandatory to ensure that every transaction is correctly reflected in the accounting system.
Day-End Process
The SOP prescribes the following sequence for accounting:
- Complete all CBS transactions in Finacle or the DREAM App.
- Execute CSMDAY in Finacle at HOs and SOs.
- Perform Close Account in the DREAM App at Branch Post Offices.
- Fetch CBS accounting data through API before initiating Day End in APT 2.0.
The Department has clearly instructed that no transactions should be carried out after CSMDAY or Close Account is completed.
Responsibilities at Different Levels
Branch Post Offices (BOs)
BOs must perform Day Begin, verify pending transactions, generate the Daily Transaction Report, ensure all transactions are reflected in the BO Daily Account (BODA), and immediately report any mismatches to the Account Office.
Sub Post Offices and Head Post Offices
All CBS transactions must be performed only through Finacle. Officials must fetch CBS data before Day End, tally Daily Transaction Reports, and account for any missing data under separate CBS Receipt or CBS Payment Mismatch heads without adjusting one against the other.
SBCO Responsibilities
SBCO has been entrusted with daily reconciliation of the HO Cash Book with Finacle GL-wise reports, recording discrepancies in a permanent register, monitoring error book entries, and submitting monthly reconciliation reports to the PAO by the 4th day of every month.
Golden Rule: Never Net Off Mismatches
One of the most important instructions in the SOP is that CBS Receipt Mismatches and CBS Payment Mismatches must always be accounted separately.
For example, if there is a Receipt Mismatch of ₹5,000 and a Payment Mismatch of ₹2,000, both should be booked independently. Adjusting them to show a net mismatch of ₹3,000 is strictly prohibited as it distorts receipts, payments, and closing balances.
Inspection and Monitoring
The SOP also strengthens monitoring by assigning responsibilities to:
- Sub Divisional Offices – Monitor compliance at BOs and SOs.
- Divisional Offices – Monitor HOs and SBCOs.
- Inspecting Authorities – Verify the CBS Daily Discrepancy Reconciliation Register during inspections and record observations in the Inspection Report.
Key Compliance Highlights
- Same-day accounting of all CBS transactions.
- Daily reconciliation between Finacle and APT 2.0.
- Separate accounting of receipt and payment mismatches.
- Monthly reconciliation reports to PAO by the 4th of every month.
- Maintenance of a Daily Discrepancy Reconciliation Register.
- Immediate rectification of discrepancies through prescribed procedures.
Conclusion
The issuance of SB Order No. 09/2026 marks a significant step towards strengthening the accuracy and transparency of POSB accounting after the implementation of APT 2.0. All officials handling POSB operations, including BOs, SOs, HOs, SBCO, and supervisory offices, are expected to strictly follow the prescribed SOP to ensure error-free accounting, timely reconciliation, and effective financial control.
