ChatGPT agent reconciles a simulated general ledger
Pan and Wang report a ChatGPT for Excel demonstration cleaning and reconciling 59,157 simulated ledger rows, with an approved plan, inspectable formulas and a modifications log.
journalofaccountancy.com
Suggested prompt
Suggested prompt written by Agents In Use, not the source author. Replace bracketed inputs and review tool permissions first.
Inspect [ledger copy] and propose a cleaning and reconciliation plan before changes. Use native Excel formulas, preserve source data, document modifications and flag differences against [trial balance] for review.
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Sourced account- Source author
- Gang (Ernest) Pan and Li Wang
- Original account
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- Published
- Source link checked
- Reported result
- Pan and Wang report a ChatGPT for Excel demonstration cleaning and reconciling 59,157 simulated ledger rows, with an approved plan, inspectable formulas and a modifications log.
- Human involvement
- The authors approve the plan, inspect reconciliation and formulas, and retain professional judgment. The dataset and timing are from a teaching simulation, not a production client audit.
A linked account supports attribution. It does not mean we independently reproduced its result.
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How the agent did it
- Keep the simulated source workbook and work on a separate copy.
- Inspect quality issues and present a cleaning plan on its own sheet.
- Obtain approval before cleaning with native Excel tools.
Gang Pan and Li Wang build a data-cleaning skill for ChatGPT for Excel and demonstrate it on a simulated ledger adapted from a published accounting case. The dataset contains 59,157 transaction rows with mixed fields, inconsistent dates, blank rows and irrelevant headers. This is an executed teaching simulation, not a real client audit.
The agent first inspects the workbook and writes a proposed cleaning plan on a separate sheet. After the authors approve it, it cleans a copy using native Excel tools, removes irrelevant rows, constructs reconciliation keys and standardises dates. It aggregates transactions by account and compares the results with a trial balance, flagging differences for follow-up.
A modifications log explains the transformations. Human reviewers inspect the reconciliation summary, trace formulas to their source sheets and handle discretionary adjustments such as rounding. The authors report approximately ten minutes on average for the demonstration; that is not an independent production benchmark or assurance opinion. The useful structure is an immutable source copy, a visible plan before changes and formula-based outputs that a reviewer can trace. The supplied skill's claim that output supports audit work does not remove professional responsibility for completeness, correctness and interpretation.
Prompt
Suggested prompt (written by Agents In Use, not the author's)
Source: Blog · Gang (Ernest) Pan and Li Wang
Frequently asked questions
Was a real client ledger audited?
No. The authors explicitly used a simulated dataset adapted from a published case.
What prevents silent source changes?
Their skill requires working from a copy and recording transformations in a modifications log.
Who checks the reconciliation?
Human reviewers inspect account totals, trace formulas and resolve issues requiring discretion before accepting the workbook.
More details
Remaining steps
- Aggregate account balances and compare them with the trial balance.
- Inspect modification logs and trace formulas before accepting the result.
About this account
The Excel agent inspects data, prepares a plan, executes approved transformations and reconciliation formulas, and documents changes for human inspection.
Firsthand account by Gang (Ernest) Pan and Li Wang; original publication date verified against Primary Journal of Accountancy byline October 1, 2026. Outcomes are the author’s reports, not independently reproduced. Suggested prompt written by Agents In Use; not the author’s original prompt.
Credit: Gang (Ernest) Pan and Li Wang
Source published
Added to Agents In Use
Source checked
Tools and topics
ChatGPT for Excel · Custom cleaning skill · Excel formulas · Trial balance · Modifications_Log
Simulated ledger · Approved cleaning plan · Formula tracing
Editorial completeness: 100/100. Measures documented fields, not agent performance or verified outcomes.