Lesson 5 of 5
Verification and reporting
12 min
A storyline is not passed when the last step saves. It is passed when the results across all processes are what they should be: quantities, statuses and, above all, the money. This lesson shows how to verify a storyline end to end and how to report integration results so that process owners can sign off.
Verify the chain
Start with the documents. Every storyline should end with a complete chain: sales order to delivery to goods issue to billing to cleared receivable; requisition to PO to goods receipt to invoice to cleared payable; planned order to production order to confirmations to goods receipt to settlement. Use document flow, the purchase order history and the production order's own document views to confirm every link exists and is complete.
Verify the numbers
Then check the values against expectations computed before the cycle. For IT-01, with 200 alternators sold from plant 1710:
| Check | Where to look | Expected for IT-01 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock movement | Stock overview for CMC-ALT-100 in 1710 / 171A (for example MMBE) | Starting stock plus 200 produced minus 200 issued |
| Production receipt value | Journal entry for the production goods receipt | 200 × $150 = 30,000.00 USD debited to finished goods inventory |
| Cost of goods sold | Journal entry for goods issue | 30,000.00 USD debited to cost of goods sold |
| Revenue and receivable | Journal entry for billing | Revenue at the fleet price on the alternator profit center; receivable cleared after payment |
| GR/IR for rotors | PO history and GR/IR clearing | Received and invoiced quantities match; GR/IR nets to zero for the PO item |
| Production variances | Production order after settlement | Variance settled per the settlement rule; order balance zero |
Reporting outcomes
Integration status reports often drown in counts: 412 test steps executed, 389 passed. Those numbers say little. Report by storyline and by handoff, because that is what the business understands and what sign-off depends on.
| Storyline | Status | Open defects (severity) | Failed handoff | Owner decision needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT-01 Fleet order beyond stock, Detroit | Passed; reconciliation complete | None | None | No |
| IT-02 Partial rotor supply | Passed with workaround in cycle 1; rerun needed | 1 (high) | Plan to produce → production | Yes: accept fix date |
| IT-03 Chicago | Failed | 2 (high, medium) | Billing → finance: wrong profit center | Yes: master data correction plan |
| IT-04 Credit block | Passed | None | None | No |
Defects at the handoffs
Tag every integration defect with the handoff where it appeared and the area where it was caused. After a cycle, the pattern is often striking: at Contoso, most cycle 1 defects sat at two joins, master data to billing and production to finance. That tells the program where to strengthen string tests and data reviews before the next cycle, and it tells the process owners which joins deserve the closest look at sign-off.
Exit criteria
- All main storylines executed end to end without workarounds.
- No open critical or high defects on main storylines, or each accepted by the process owner with a dated plan.
- Financial reconciliation complete for each main storyline.
- Every failed handoff from earlier cycles retested and passed.
- Evidence filed: handoff notes, document numbers, reconciliations, defect records.
What would you do?
At integration exit, 96 percent of steps passed. IT-03 (Chicago) failed because revenue posted to a default profit center. The sales lead argues it is "only one storyline and a master data fix". What should the process owners decide?
- Verify the chain: every document link exists and is complete.
- Verify the numbers against precomputed values: stock, inventory, COGS, revenue, GR/IR, variances.
- Finance reconciles each main storyline before exit.
- Report by storyline and handoff, not by step counts.
- Exit criteria cover workarounds, open defects, reconciliation, retests and evidence.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. When is a storyline passed?
2. What is the expected production receipt value for 200 alternators in plant 1710?
3. Why report integration status by storyline and handoff?
4. A storyline passed only with a workaround. What does exit require?