VANKPA
The decision
A dashboard can look precise while reflecting incomplete or misunderstood records. Reconcile important measures against source systems and representative transactions. The goal is to verify meaning as well as arithmetic.
In practice
An order count may include cancelled orders while finance reports only settled sales. Neither number is automatically wrong, but the distinction must be clear. Trace individual examples through the workflow to find where definitions diverge.
- Select meaningful checks for totals, status, timing, and duplicates.
- Record discrepancies, explain them, and assign correction ownership.
- Repeat checks after integrations or definitions change so confidence in the report is maintained rather than assumed.
When to take the next step
Reconcile important data before using a dashboard to commit resources. Select representative records and explain discrepancies before presenting totals as dependable evidence.
Questions clients ask
Does every report need a manual audit?
Use checks proportionate to the measure's importance and the reliability of its source.
What should a discrepancy review produce?
An explained difference, an agreed definition, and a correction or documented limitation.