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The search for a difference, in order

Record which of the four steps you have run and what each showed, and see how far the search has narrowed — and which cheaper step is still ahead of you.

Result

The difference under search
180.00
Steps run
2
Steps not run
2

The search is 2 of four steps short — no result is computed

What the tool found

  • The cheapest step still unrunToday's manual entries — half an hour. Start there before anything dearer: ordering by cost is the whole difference between a minute and two hours.

Download the workbook

The method

  1. The steps are ordered by cost rather than by importance: the shape is free, comparing class totals is minutes, today's manual entries half an hour, reviewing accounts hours. Whoever starts at the last spends two hours on what a minute would have settled.
  2. Each step carries weight in proportion to the search space it closes: the shape 30%, class totals 35%, manual entries 20%, reviewing accounts 15% — the last being the dearest and the least closing, which is why it is last.
  3. No result is computed while a single step is unrun. A step not taken is not a step that ruled anything out, and treating it as though it did is how a search arrives at the wrong account and is sure of it.

Built forAn accountant reviewing an entry or balance before close

When you need it

You have connected figures that need testing before they enter the close file. Record which of the four steps you have run and what each showed, and see how far the search has narrowed — and which cheaper step is still ahead of you.

The decision it supports

Use the result to decide whether the work can be accepted or a difference or classification needs tracing. The tool shows its method beside the result so you can review it.

What you receive

The search for a difference, in order result

A shareable interactive result with findings, calculation method and an Excel workpaper carrying the same figures.

An example you can inspect

A ready-to-run example

The tool opens with: 1 · The difference's shape (free) = found, 2 · Class totals against last month (minutes) = ruled-out, 3 · Today's manual entries (half an hour) = unchecked, 4 · Reviewing the accounts that moved (hours) = unchecked. Change any value to see its effect immediately.