Imagine you are part of a consulting team assigned to a new client. You notice a discrepancy in the financial records they provided. Walk me through your steps from the moment you spot the error.

Situation

In a school project simulating a due diligence engagement for a small manufacturing company, I discovered that the inventory count in the general ledger did not match the physical count worksheet by about 50 units of a raw material worth PHP 15,000. I knew that even small discrepancies can snowball in an audit or consulting project if not addressed properly.

Task

I needed to verify the error, determine its cause, and raise it appropriately without jumping to conclusions or alarming the client prematurely.

Action

First, I double-checked my own work and recalculated the totals to ensure it wasn't my own mistake. Then I reviewed the supporting documents like purchase orders and receiving reports. When I confirmed the discrepancy was likely a data entry error on the client's side, I documented my findings in a clear, factual manner. I approached my team leader, presented only the facts and evidence, and suggested we include it in the list of queries for the client meeting. I did not accuse anyone or make assumptions.

Result

My team leader appreciated my thorough documentation and calm approach. During the client meeting, we raised the issue professionally, and the client admitted a cut-off error and corrected it immediately. The project continued smoothly with no trust issues because we handled it as a collaborative fact-finding, not a blame game.