Check whether proposed savings reached the bank statement: working sheet
A planned-versus-observed savings review that requires actual bills and records explanations for differences.
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| Expense or dependency | Planned recurring amount | Observed recurring amount | Comparable period | Reason for difference | Evidence of resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replacement software | $199 hypothetical | Use actual bill | First full month | Additional connection | Review written terms |
- Use internal references rather than sensitive account information.
- Label estimates, actual records and unresolved questions separately.
- Keep the original scenario and later observed results distinguishable.
A proposal shows monthly savings. Three months later, the owner wants to know if the business got them. The original calculator result doesn’t answer that. Check the new bills, final charges from the old provider, and transition records.
Export the original scenario from the Savings Audit, then build a separate comparison based on what actually happened. Keep the two versions distinct, so later changes don’t wipe out what the business expected when it made the decision.
Use with this guide
Savings Audit
Continue with Savings Audit.
merchant statement analyzer
Continue with merchant statement analyzer.
bookkeeping workflow
Continue with bookkeeping workflow.
Compare Flat Rate, Interchange Plus and Dual Pricing for Body Shops
Use the same card volume and payment mix for every offer. Then compare the cost of operating each program, not just its advertised rate.
Retain the original assumptions
Save the current and proposed recurring amounts, one-time costs, comparison period, and written quote references. If timing matters, record the expected start date outside the audit. The public model assumes immediate changes and twelve identical months.
Keep the original scenario as a planning record. Don’t silently replace the planning scenario’s inputs with actual costs and then claim the proposal predicted the result. A separate observed version lets the owner see where implementation or assumptions differed.
Gather complete bills from both providers
Check the new provider’s recurring bills and any charges still coming from the old one. Include required connections or services added during the switch. A canceled subscription can still bring a final charge under its terms, and the new bill may cover just part of a month.
IRS recordkeeping guidance backs up keeping documents for business income and expenses. Before you compare totals, match invoice dates, service periods, and payment references. A card charge date doesn’t always tell you which service period you paid for.
Sources for this section: IRS: business recordkeeping
Compare equivalent periods
For a hypothetical example, the proposal expected a $150 monthly reduction. But the first new bill covers half a month, while the old provider bills the final month in full. So that first cash period doesn't show the normal recurring difference.
Once you have a full comparable period, compare actual recurring costs with the baseline. Keep transition and overlap effects visible. Don't let them distort the ongoing rate. If volume-related costs changed, check the same payment volume and mix before attributing the whole difference to pricing.
Explain each difference
A new required connection, more users, or an unplanned migration fee each needs its own explanation. Record the planned and observed amounts, the period, and the cause in the worksheet. Don’t leave an unexplained “other” total. The owner needs to fix the specific issue.
The merchant statement analyzer helps organize processing records when enabled. Check extracted values against the source documents. For software-related changes, the bookkeeping workflow helps keep the relevant invoices and classifications available for review.
Separate resolution from observation
An unexpected charge could be valid under your agreement, a billing mistake, or a mix-up about the work’s scope. Ask the provider to explain it in writing. If they promise a credit, write it down and check that it shows up. A support reply isn’t money back.
Don't bump up the savings claim just because someone requested a credit. And don't count a one-time billing fix as a recurring monthly reduction. The period and reason tell you where that amount belongs in the comparison.
Use the completed review to make better calls next time. Did training take longer than expected, or did you still need an old account? Record that dependency before the next software change. A smaller realized reduction still teaches the owner something useful about the business's operating requirements.
The final report should spell out what was proposed, what was observed, and what’s still unresolved. That makes a savings claim stronger than repeating the original estimate after the implementation facts have changed.
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 23, 2026. Check the linked sources for current requirements and product details.
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.