The automation dashboard is green. The appointment is still missing because the API answered before rejecting the record. Reconciliation asks the operational question a success badge cannot: does the intention in system A match the result in system B?
What to compare daily or weekly
| Source | Expected destination | Exception |
|---|---|---|
| Form ID | CRM contact | missing |
| Booking request | Calendar event | different time |
| Send command | Message ID | no delivery state |
| Payment | Invoice | amount differs |
Use stable IDs and a short list of meaningful states. “Successful” is too vague. Prefer received, written, confirmed and manually corrected. Put exceptions in a visible queue with an owner and age.
Do not auto-repair every mismatch
A missing internal tag may be safe to set again. A second invoice or booking is not. Query the destination first, then repair automatically only when the effect is narrow and reversible.
- Track the count and value of exceptions.
- Expose the oldest unresolved case.
- Define a repair path per action.
- Sample apparently successful cases too.
Idempotency prevents many duplicates. A kill switch limits an active error. Reconciliation proves what happened afterwards.
Sources
FAQ
What is reconciliation?
A systematic comparison of expected business transactions with the state actually stored in destination systems.
How often should it run?
Continuously or daily for critical actions and at a regular interval for lower-impact work.
Is a green workflow run insufficient?
It often confirms only the technical call, not the correct final state.
Who owns exceptions?
A named business owner with a clear escalation route.