Before opening a spreadsheet, decide what question the report should answer. A stock question, an advertising question and a payment question need different records.
Name the question and the measure
Examples include which ASINs have sellable stock, which search terms received ad clicks, or which charges appear in a settlement. Write the measure beside the question so that a similar-looking column is not substituted later.
Amazon’s FBA documentation distinguishes sales, inventory, payments and other report groups. Their coverage and update timing differ. Amazon’s FBA report definitions.
Add a short report note
For each file, record:
- Source account and marketplace.
- Report name and date range.
- Retrieval date and timezone, where applicable.
- Currency and the identifiers used in each row.
- Included statuses, filters and exclusions.
- Whether a missing value is blank, unavailable or a recorded zero.
Keep the downloaded file unchanged. Work in a separate copy and retain the steps used to reach any total.
Match rows before combining files
Write down whether each row represents a product, order, transaction or snapshot. Define the matching key using the marketplace and the appropriate ASIN or seller SKU. Keep unmatched rows in a separate list and inspect duplicate keys before adding totals. Retain the matching rule and the calculation steps with the originals.
Stock reports are snapshots. Orders and movements between export times can explain a difference; Amazon’s inventory-report reference describes that limitation. Record the report owner and any changed definition so later files are compared on the same basis.
Explain differences between totals
Keep order sales, shipments, ad attribution and payments in separate columns. Ad-attributed sales should not be added to retail sales as additional revenue. Amazon Ads’ attribution guidance explains why ad and retail reports can differ.
Start a reconciliation with the original totals. List differences in date basis, product filters, tax, shipping, promotions, returns, fees and later source updates. Preserve the relevant rows and calculations, with any unresolved balance and the next question to answer.
Connect product evidence to the worklist
Match product identifiers and pack sizes to the current label and product-document versions. Keep expiry lots and shipment destinations with preparation records, using the destination store’s expiry guidance where applicable. Assign responsibility for telling the next party when a product record changes.
Keep listing questions, stock discrepancies, advertising decisions, fee checks, notices and open cases as distinct tasks. Each task needs a dated source, the affected product and marketplace, missing evidence, a responsible person and the next permitted action. Retain the case identifier and outcome with the original issue. Listing, price and A+ changes need written OK before they go live.
Review tools and access
For each connection, record who authorized it, its permissions, the account work that depends on it and the person responsible for reviewing access. Distinguish reading reports from changing listings, prices or bids. Use Amazon’s connection guidance when reviewing authorization.
Before granting access, ask the provider to demonstrate a calculation from a non-sensitive excerpt. Check the source date, marketplace, identifiers, missing rows, duplicate keys and currency treatment against the original. Keep customer contact details out of review sheets when product totals answer the question.
Get cancellation, revocation, data-export and deletion steps in writing. Confirm dependencies before removing a connection, and record the person who will carry out each exit step.
Read the total in context
A total without its scope can be misleading. Check whether cancelled items, returns, tax or shipping are included. If the file does not answer the original question, identify the additional record needed instead of relabelling the total.
End the review with a short decision note: what is known, what remains missing and what action the information supports. A chart is useful only when its reader can trace the figures back to that note.
Checked reports inform the stock, advertising and listing decisions in Amazon account operations.