MatchDock help

How MatchDock turns two exports into reviewable exceptions.

Map equivalent columns, define the business key that identifies a record, apply explicit comparison rules, and review every uncertain outcome instead of accepting an invented match.

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Composite business key

Three fields identify one payroll record

Example payroll records in Source A and Source B
Source	Employee ID	Wage Type	Effective Date
A	000123	1000	2026-08-01
B	123	1000	2026-08-02

With explicit leading-zero normalization and a ±1-day date-key tolerance, these rows can be paired only when the candidate is unique in both directions.

Complete workflow

Five steps from files to evidence

01
Select sources
Choose one CSV or standard XLSX file for Source A and Source B.
02
Map columns
Confirm which columns represent the same business concept.
03
Define key
Choose one to five mapped fields that identify a business record.
04
Set comparison rules
Choose compare fields, normalization, number and date formats, and any permitted tolerances.
05
Review and export
Run locally, begin with the exceptions, inspect each explanation, and export the evidence.

Start with the source structure

Confirm what MatchDock detected before defining how records should match.

CSV: MatchDock supports comma, semicolon, and tab-delimited files, including valid quoted fields and embedded line breaks.
Standard XLSX: Choose one worksheet from a standard .xlsx workbook. The first visible sheet is selected by default and can be changed.
Header row: Row 1 is the default header. Change it when an export contains report titles or parameters above the table.
Local preview: Confirm the detected columns and a limited row preview before mapping.

See current limitations for file, row, and column caps.

Mapping is not matching

Keep column equivalence, record identity, and value comparison as three explicit decisions.

Mapping

These columns represent the same business concept. Mapping does not make a field part of the key or a comparison rule.

Key

These fields identify which record in Source A corresponds to which record in Source B.

Compare fields

These fields are checked only after MatchDock has identified a unique pair.

Composite example

Keys answer identity

A key may use one to five mapped fields. For example: Employee ID + Wage Type + Effective Date.

Amount or Cost Center can then be compared without silently becoming part of the key.

Composite business key

Three fields identify one payroll record

Example payroll records in Source A and Source B
Source	Employee ID	Wage Type	Effective Date
A	000123	1000	2026-08-01
B	123	1000	2026-08-02

With explicit leading-zero normalization and a ±1-day date-key tolerance, these rows can be paired only when the candidate is unique in both directions.

What each result means

Each category describes a confirmed reconciliation state, including records that MatchDock deliberately leaves unresolved.

Differences: The key identifies one row on each side, but at least one compared field differs beyond its rule.
Only A: A valid unique key exists in Source A with no corresponding row in Source B.
Only B: A valid unique key exists in Source B with no corresponding row in Source A.
Duplicates: The key occurs more than once on either side, or a tolerant date match is not mutually unique.
Invalid keys: A required key component is empty or cannot be interpreted using the selected rule.
Matched: All compared fields agree exactly.
Within tolerance: No field mismatches, but at least one approved tolerance was used.

Tolerances stay explicit

Numeric comparison

Number comparisons support exact matching or an absolute tolerance. For example, 100.00 and 100.01 are within an absolute tolerance of 0.02. Percentage tolerance is not available in V0.5.

Date keys

At most one date field in a key may use ±N days. A tolerant date pair is accepted only when it is unique in both directions; otherwise it remains ambiguous.

Export the evidence

Export Excel creates a local workbook with Summary, Differences, Only Source A, Only Source B, Duplicates, Invalid Keys, Matched, and Rules sheets. The Rules sheet records the configuration used for the result. Filenames are not required and are not included. User-derived strings are protected against accidental formula execution.

SummaryDifferencesOnly AOnly BDuplicatesInvalid KeysMatchedRules

Common problems

Resolve these checks before changing the reconciliation rules.

Unsupported file: Use CSV or a standard .xlsx workbook. Legacy .xls files are not supported.
Password-protected workbook: Save an unencrypted standard .xlsx copy and try again.
No data rows: Check the selected sheet and header row.
Missing mapping: Every key or compare field needs a confirmed mapping.
Ambiguous number or date: Choose the source format explicitly instead of relying on a guess.
Browser memory pressure: Close other memory-intensive tabs or use a smaller source extract if available.

Start with a real workflow or the synthetic demo.

Match by a business key, keep ambiguous records visible, and review the exceptions before exporting the evidence.