ties out

Meanings

1. 1phraseintransitivebusinessfinancetechnical

   If two sets of figures or records tie out, they match exactly after being checked.

   Grammar: No object is used; the two things compared usually come before the verb, as in 'The totals tie out.'

   Patterns

   • something ties out
   • something ties out with something
   • something ties out to something

   The bank statement and our ledger tie out perfectly this month.

   Before we close the books, we need to make sure the invoices tie out with the payments.

   The two reports should tie out to the same total, but they don't.

2. 2phraseintransitivebusinessfinance

   To check that figures or records match and agree with each other.

   Grammar: Often used after 'make sure' or 'check whether': 'make sure the numbers tie out'.

   Patterns

   • make sure something ties out
   • check that something ties out

   The auditor spent the morning making sure the cash records tie out.

   Can you check that these two spreadsheets tie out before the meeting?

Common combinations

tie out with

The inventory count should tie out with the warehouse system.

tie out to

These figures tie out to the annual report.

make the numbers tie out

It took hours to make the numbers tie out.

tie out perfectly

The accounts tie out perfectly now.

Synonyms and how they differ

reconcile

More formal and transitive: you reconcile two accounts, while figures tie out by themselves.

match

A general word for two things being the same; 'tie out' is used specifically for financial records.

agree

Used of totals or statements that are the same; it is less technical than 'tie out'.

Word family

tie-out noun

A check that figures match, as in 'a tie-out of the accounts'.

Commonly confused: ties out or tie?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “ties out”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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