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Find daily debit and credit differences when overall totals agree

Find dates whose debit and credit totals differ, even when the overall ledger balances. Sum by date, subtract and filter out zero differences.

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Diagram: fictional input for Dated ledger entries
Illustration with fictional data, not a screenshot of the app.

Debit and credit totals can agree overall even when individual days do not balance. Sum both columns by date, subtract the daily credit total from the debit total, then keep dates with a difference. Keep repeated amounts unless you have confirmed they are duplicate entries.

Use whole cents and one currency

This fictional input uses integer cents from one ledger and one currency: 100 cents equal one currency unit. A side with no amount contains a verified zero. Unknown amounts must not be silently converted to zero. Use calendar dates consistently if timestamps are present.

Date Debit cents Credit cents
2026-09-01 7000 0
2026-09-01 3000 0
2026-09-01 0 10000
2026-09-02 4500 0
2026-09-02 0 4000
2026-09-03 2000 0
2026-09-03 0 2500

Compare the two totals per date

  1. Select the data as the result source. In Refine results, add Summarize grouped by Date.
  2. Change the existing Summary method to Sum, select Debit cents, and enter Total debit cents in Output field name. Choose Add summary within the same step, set Sum for Credit cents, and name it Total credit cents.
  3. Add Calculate below the summary: Total debit cents minus Total credit cents, named Difference cents.
  4. Add Filter for Difference cents not equal to 0 and choose Apply.

Diagram: Sum debits and credits per date → Subtract credit total from debit total → Keep dates with nonzero differences

Two offsetting dates remain visible

September 1's debits of 7000 and 3000 match its credit of 10000, so that date disappears. September 2 remains at +500 and September 3 at −500. Combining all dates would hide those differences, but the daily check keeps each available for review.

Date Total debit cents Total credit cents Difference cents
2026-09-02 4500 4000 500
2026-09-03 2000 2500 -500

Diagram: The overall difference is zero, but September 2's +500 and September 3's -500 remain.

A zero difference means the totals agree; it does not confirm that individual entries match. If you need to check each journal separately, group by both date and journal identifier. Use this result to find entries for review. It does not correct the ledger or establish that the accounting is accurate.

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Sources

The question Excel function to fix ledger out of balance informed this independently created fictional example.

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