Home > CNFANS Spreadsheet: A Guide to Detecting Payment & Freight Log Discrepancies

CNFANS Spreadsheet: A Guide to Detecting Payment & Freight Log Discrepancies

2026-02-21

Cross-verifying transactions to ensure fair and accurate billing for fans.

For any fan-based commerce platform like CNFANS, maintaining transparent and accurate financial records is paramount. Discrepancies between payment logs (what fans have paid) and freight logs (shipping costs incurred) can lead to billing errors, eroded trust, and operational inefficiencies. This guide outlines a systematic approach, using the CNFANS Spreadsheet, to cross-verify these transactions and ensure every charge is fair and justified.

The Core Principle: Reconciliation

At its heart, detecting discrepancies is a process of reconciliation. You are matching two sets of data—payments and freight charges—on a per-transaction or per-order basis to ensure they align according to your platform's policies (e.g., customer pays exact freight, or freight is subsidized).

Step-by-Step Detection Guide

Step 1: Data Preparation & Standardization

Ensure both your Payment LogFreight Log

  • Payment Log:Freight Paid by Fan, Payment Gateway, Status.
  • Freight Log:Actual Freight Cost, Weight.

Step 2: Unify Data with VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP

In your spreadsheet, create a unified Reconciliation Sheet. Use the =XLOOKUP()=VLOOKUP()

Formula example: =XLOOKUP(A2, FreightLog!A:A, FreightLog!F:F, "Not Shipped")

Step 3: Calculate the Discrepancy

Add a new column titled “Variance”“Discrepancy.”

= (Freight Paid by Fan) - (Actual Freight Cost)

Interpret the result:

  • Zero (0):
  • Positive Number:overcharged
  • Negative Number:undercharged. The platform absorbed unexpected cost, which should be analyzed for pricing model adjustments.
  • "Not Shipped":

Step 4: Filter, Analyze, and Investigate

Use your spreadsheet's filter function on the "Variance" column to quickly isolate all non-zero entries. Prioritize large overcharges for immediate customer service follow-up. Investigate common causes for discrepancies:

  • Carrier rate changes or surcharges not reflected in initial estimates.
  • Incorrect package weight or dimensions entered at checkout.
  • Changes in shipping destination or method after payment.
  • Data entry errors in either log.

Step 5: Document Actions and Update Systems

Create an “Action”

Pro-Tips for CNFANS Spreadsheet Management

  • Automate with Conditional Formatting:
  • Schedule Regular Reconciliation:
  • Build PivotTables for Trends:
  • Protect Fan Data:

Conclusion

The CNFANS Spreadsheet