Financial Data Reconciliation via Key-Based Hashing and Centralized Archiving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current financial data reconciliation processes in financial institutions are time-consuming and inefficient, particularly when dealing with multiple financial processing systems, as they require extensive manual verification and lack a centralized solution for settling transactions across disparate systems.

Innovation Solution

A business intelligence system that utilizes a key-based approach to reconcile financial data by comparing hashed or compressed data sets between sender and receiver systems, with a reconciliation device processing the data and archiving non-reconciled transactions for later resolution, thereby reducing computational overhead and enabling centralized reconciliation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual verification and reconciliation processes are used in existing financial systems, then data accuracy can be maintained, but the reconciliation process becomes extremely time-consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidreconciliation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical verification processes with automated electronic reconciliation systems. The system uses computer-based algorithms to automatically compare transaction data between systems, eliminating the need for manual checking while maintaining accuracy through systematic electronic validation processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a centralized reconciliation system as an intermediary between disparate financial systems. This intermediary automatically receives, processes, and reconciles transaction data from multiple sources, reducing the time required for direct system-to-system verification while ensuring data accuracy through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If numerous processing steps are implemented in accounting software for settling transactions, then comprehensive accounting issues can be addressed, but system complexity increases and becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccounting completenessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate accounting processing steps into a single integrated reconciliation system. By merging data collection, validation, comparison, and settlement functions into one centralized platform, the system maintains comprehensive accounting coverage while reducing overall system complexity through unified architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal reconciliation system that can handle multiple types of financial transactions and accounting scenarios through a single platform. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate processing systems for different transaction types, reducing maintenance complexity while ensuring reliable handling of diverse accounting requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If check sum driven techniques are used for electronic batch operations, then automated reconciliation can be performed, but the process becomes disjointed across multiple financial systems without central settlement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomation efficiencyVSAvoidsystem integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a centralized reconciliation system as an intermediary that coordinates checksum-driven automated reconciliation across multiple financial systems. This intermediary consolidates the disjointed reconciliation processes into a unified workflow, maintaining automation efficiency while reducing integration complexity through centralized management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the reconciliation process into distinct modular components that can operate independently in each financial system while being coordinated centrally. This segmentation allows automated checksum operations to continue at the system level while the central platform orchestrates the overall reconciliation, maintaining productivity without requiring full system integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Measurement precision

If individual transaction comparison is performed when groupings are not reconciled, then complete verification can be achieved, but the process becomes extremely time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification completenessVSAvoidreconciliation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial verification by first checking transaction groupings at an aggregate level using checksums. Only when groupings fail to reconcile does the system perform individual transaction comparisons. This partial action approach maintains verification completeness for problematic transactions while significantly improving overall reconciliation speed by avoiding unnecessary individual comparisons.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the verification process into two levels: grouping-level verification using checksums and individual transaction verification. This segmentation allows the system to quickly validate most transactions at the grouping level while reserving detailed individual comparison only for cases where it is truly necessary, balancing completeness with speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7640273B2Business intelligence data reconciliation system
Publication Date: 2009.12.29 SAP SE
  • US7640273B2 patent drawing
  • US7640273B2 patent drawing
  • US7640273B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A sending device sends a key and financial data to a receiver device and a reconciliation device in a business intelligence system. The receiver device verifies the key and sends the verified key and financial data to the business intelligence system. The reconciliation device selects the data sets based on the keys and thereupon compares the financial data. If the comparison reveals the data sets as being proper matches, the financial data is considered reconciled and can then be cleared. If not, the non-reconciled data in the data set may be archived for later reconciliation operations at future time intervals or may be resubmitted to the sending device for reevaluation. The inclusion of addition data and an interaction between various financial processing instruments allows for the reconciliation of business intelligence data in a business intelligence application/system.