When a number is questioned, you should be able to show where it came from. For each reconciliation, a good audit trail records:
- - The source. Which broker, which file, which period, and when it arrived.
- The changes made to the data. Column mapping, date formats and currency conversions, including the rates used and where they came from.
- The matching rules. Which rules ran, in which version, on which date.
- The result for every line. Matched, partly matched or not matched, and why.
- Each exception. The cause, who looked at it, what they decided, and when.
- Each adjustment. Who approved it, with the before and after figures.
- The totals. Source totals against reconciled totals, with any difference explained.
- A clean export. In the format your capacity provider or carrier asks for.
Check your binder. Reporting requirements vary between capacity providers. Confirm what yours expects before you decide what to capture.