A reconciliation should not just tell you whether two totals agree. It should tell you what needs review.
Four buckets to create
| Bucket | Meaning | Review action |
|---|---|---|
| Matched | The records line up under the matching rule | tie to summary |
| Source only | Present in the first file only | investigate omission or timing |
| Target only | Present in the second file only | investigate extra or timing |
| Review needed | Close but not exact | apply judgment |
Why this works
The reviewer does not need to scan every row. They need a clean summary and a focused exception list.
Accounting takeaway
The best reconciliation is not the one with the most formulas. It is the one that explains the exceptions clearly.