FINANCE KNOWLEDGE · HANDS-ON DELIVERY
Duplicate records, inconsistent coding and figures that do not agree make every report harder to trust. I help you investigate and clean finance data, reconcile the result and improve the processes that keep it reliable.
Improve the data in the system you already use.Data cleansing can be a project in its own right or part of a wider migration. The approach is shaped around your current applications, accounting requirements and the people responsible for the records.
Work directly with Stephen Mitchell. Liverpool based, supporting businesses remotely across the UK, with occasional on-site visits by arrangement.
Discuss your data problemsDOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
Start with the records your team has to correct repeatedly, the balances it cannot explain or the spreadsheet it rebuilds before reporting.
Different names, missing references and inconsistent details make matching transactions and maintaining records difficult.
HOW I CAN HELP
Identify potential duplicates, agree which record should be retained and review the effect of corrections on transactions and connected systems.
Inconsistent account codes, departments or reporting categories mean teams produce different answers from the same business activity.
HOW I CAN HELP
Agree consistent definitions and mappings, investigate differences and check the revised outputs against source records.
Someone fixes formats, fills gaps or applies the same spreadsheet adjustments whenever data is used.
HOW I CAN HELP
Identify the source of the problem, correct agreed records and introduce validation or controlled automation to reduce repeat work.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
An assessment of agreed records, duplicate and missing-value checks, and an issues list showing what needs investigation or approval.
Documented rules and mappings, reviewed changes and reconciliations that show what happened to the data.
Ownership, validation checks and working instructions so the team can maintain the improved records.
PRACTICAL DELIVERY
We agree the data in scope, retain a source copy and test changes before applying them. Any correction affecting balances or historical transactions needs an agreed accounting treatment and approval. Where a system restricts changes, we assess supported exports, imports, APIs or supplier-assisted options.
Preparing for a system migration?EXPERIENCE IN PRACTICE
My experience includes data cleansing, account mapping and reconciliations during a Microsoft Navision to Xero migration, alongside month-end and year-end reporting. I also build API connections and reporting workflows, so I consider how a change to a record affects the systems and reports that use it.
See how data preparation fitted into a migrationTRAINING & MONTHLY SUPPORT
Train staff on the agreed checks and record-creation process. Ongoing support can include periodic data-quality reviews, resolving exceptions and adjusting validation as your business changes.
We agree deliverables, responsibilities and fees before work starts.
PLANNING THE WORK
No. We can improve data quality within the current setup. If you later decide to migrate, the reviewed data and documented mappings can help prepare for that work.
Yes. The review can include accounting records, spreadsheets, CRM or operational data where they affect the finance process. We agree ownership and access for each source.
No. Potential duplicates need review because similar records may have different purposes or linked transactions. We agree the rules, approvals and recovery approach before applying changes.
AI can help classify or compare information and highlight possible inconsistencies. Clear rules, validation and human review remain part of the process, particularly where changes affect financial records.
THE FIRST CONVERSATION
Tell me which system holds the data, what your team keeps correcting and how it affects reporting or day-to-day work. We can agree a focused starting point on a phone or Teams call.
Discuss your data problems