Open finance skill
Cost detail footing
Does the supporting cost detail add up to the reported total?
Foot synthetic cost-detail rows to a control total and show the exact variance without altering either source.
Inputs
- ✓Cost-detail rows
- ✓Control total
- ✓Rounding tolerance
Outputs
- ✓Detail sum
- ✓Control variance
- ✓Pass or review status
Checks performed
- ✓Numeric completeness
- ✓Detail footing
- ✓Tolerance comparison
Guided synthetic example
See the check from input to decision
The cost-detail schedule does not equal the total reported in the monthly package.
This is the operating model we use at Level. The percentages are estimated shares of the work in a typical review. Actual effort varies with data quality, complexity, and the issue found.
Start with the source records
About 15% of work| Cost line | Detail amount |
|---|---|
| Direct labor | $3,000 |
| Materials | $2,000 |
| Detail total | $5,000 |
| Reported control total | $5,100 |
Run the deterministic check
About 20% of workSum every numeric detail row and compare the result with the control total using a $1 tolerance.
Surface the flagged result
About 10% of workNeeds review
The supporting detail is $100 below the reported control total.
Use recorded finance judgment to analyze possible reasons
About 25% of workAt Level, we record the review logic, known explanations, and questions our finance professionals use in this situation. AI applies that documented human judgment to organize the most plausible reasons, without pretending it knows which reason is true.
Possible reasons to investigate
The variance could be a missing row, a stale report, a classification difference, or a formula-range error.
Make the final human judgment
About 20% of workA Level finance professional validates the source evidence, challenges the AI-assisted analysis, and decides which explanation is supported.
Make the operating decision
About 10% of workTrace the $100 variance before relying on the schedule for reporting or analysis.
Use this system
Start with the example, then inspect the structure
- Download the invented input and expected output.
- Replace one field at a time with a safe test value.
- Compare the result with the expected structure.
- Have a finance professional review every exception before acting.
MCP preview
run_synthetic_example {"slug":"cost-detail-footing"}Human review is part of the system
This check organizes evidence and surfaces exceptions. A person with finance domain expertise still needs to interpret the result, validate the source records, and discuss the operating decision.
Open source does not mean open client data. We publish reusable finance tools, checks, templates, and playbooks. Client records, workpapers, credentials, communications, and private configurations remain confidential.