Meta is $6,000 above the approved budget
- Why it matters
- Spend could run against a plan the client has replaced.
- Source
- Budget revision 3 and the live platform allocation
- Owner
- Media lead
Waiting on a decision.
Worked example · sample data
A client budget changes. Here is what your team sees.
Budget revision 3 moved money between channels. The account total still matches, so a check of the total finds nothing. A line-by-line check finds three items for your team to decide.
Step 1: The check
Compare what was agreed with what is live.
This is a read-only check. It reads the approved plan and the platform allocations, and changes nothing.
| Channel | Approved (revision 3) | Live allocation | Difference | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta | $42,000 | $48,000 | +$6,000 | Flagged |
| Google Search | $30,000 | $30,000 | $0 | Matches |
| YouTube | $18,000 | $12,000 | −$6,000 | Flagged |
| Programmatic display | $25,000 | $25,000 | $0 | Matches |
| Total | $115,000 | $115,000 | $0 | Matches |
The same run compares the display invoice of $26,250 with its $25,000 insertion order, which adds the third flag.
Step 2: The decision
Each flag goes to one person, with its source.
Try it. Choose a decision for each flag and watch the record update.
3 flags still open
YouTube is $6,000 below the approved budget
- Why it matters
- The approved reach may not be delivered by the end of the flight.
- Source
- Budget revision 3 and the live platform allocation
- Owner
- Media lead
Waiting on a decision.
Display invoice is $1,250 above the insertion order
- Why it matters
- The difference could reach the client bill, or come out of margin.
- Source
- Publisher invoice and signed insertion order
- Owner
- Finance lead
Waiting on a decision.
An illustration using invented figures, not a client result or a finished product screen. Your version would appear in the tools your team already uses.
In a 14-day sprint
What we would build for you.
- Your plan, platform, and invoice data connected, read-only to begin with.
- Rules your team agrees, such as how much variance to ignore and who owns each flag.
- Flags delivered where the owner already works, with the source attached.
- A record of every decision, plus a runbook and training for the person who owns it.
Your workflow may be different. The same pattern applies to briefs, scope, production checks, and onboarding.
Try it on your own work
Which check would save your team the most time?
Tell us what has to match, and where it lives today.
Show us the handoff that keeps slipping