Follow one reporting period.
List each source export, filter, lookup and adjustment. Note which steps are repeatable rules and which require someone to investigate a record.
Diagnostic guide
Write down what happens between the export and the final total.
Manual steps often contain definitions and corrections that a new report must understand.
Reviewed October 16, 2026 ยท Faith Forge Labs
Compare definitions before totals.
For a fictional weekly jobs report, one source may count jobs created during the week while another counts jobs completed. Agree the event, date range, timezone, statuses and exclusions before treating the difference as an error.
Check freshness and relationships.
Record when each source was refreshed. Look for duplicate identifiers or a join that repeats a parent value for each related row. Compare supporting records, not only the headline number.
Choose the first improvement.
Automate a clear repeated step or repair an incorrect definition before rebuilding the whole dashboard. Use a safe sample and keep a known expected result for verification.