Measurement Design
Part of Media procurement and contracts
Reconciling media invoices with delivery reports
Match bookings, delivery exports and invoices by line item, period, unit and cost basis, then resolve exceptions.
Reconcile an invoice against the accepted booking and the delivery record for the same line item and period. Match units and dates before comparing charges. A difference needs investigation; it is not automatically an overcharge or proof of underdelivery.
Assemble the three records
Keep the accepted order and approved changes, a dated delivery export, and the invoice or credit document. Connect them with a stable order, deal or line-item ID. If names differ, create a mapping that retains the original identifiers.
For each line, record the booked inventory, committed unit and quantity, flight, rate or fixed charge, reported delivery, invoiced amount, currency and GST basis. Show makegoods, refunds and other adjustments separately. Split a campaign-long delivery total by period before using it to assess a monthly charge.
Mismatch / First check
- Quantity differs
- Counting event, reporting cut-off, adjustments and invoice period
- Placement differs
- Approved substitution, report detail and line-item mapping
- Amount differs
- Rate basis, included fees, refunds, tax and currency
- Detail is missing
- Whether the agreed export can identify the booked inventory
Match records on their stated basis
A placement report can help check context. If a named placement matters to the buy, agree on suitable evidence beyond a campaign total.
Google Ad Manager provides reporting on ad-unit hierarchy. Use that as context; an ad-unit name alone may not establish the exact editorial context promised in a booking.
Resolve exceptions
Give each variance a reference, affected amount or quantity, source documents, owner and response date. Request a corrected export or written explanation where units or charges remain unclear. Attach the dated approval if a change altered the booking; keep the original order visible.
Separate delivery from billing. Activity outside the approved flight may be a delivery exception even when charged at the stated rate. A credit may reduce the amount due without changing the delivery originally reported. Confirm the remedy and how it appears on the next statement.
Retain a final reconciliation showing what was booked, reported, invoiced and credited, with unresolved differences marked. This checks the commercial record; it does not establish that the media reached the intended audience or caused a business outcome.
