A Schedule of Values (SOV) lists the cost structure of a project by line item, phase, or trade. It matters because funders and brokers use it to review scope, measure progress, and confirm that requested draws align with contract terms.
Manual checks are slow since every vendor formats SOVs differently, totals drift across versions, and critical fields hide in tabs or scans.
Heron automates scrubbing for SOVs so the document you receive is checked for completeness, accuracy, and readiness before anyone opens a spreadsheet. The system verifies required columns, reconciles rollups, flags stale periods, and highlights differences between versions.
Clean results move forward while exceptions get routed with clear reasons and targeted next steps.
Use Cases
- Verify required columns are present: Heron checks for columns like description, scheduled value, total complete, stored materials, and retainage. The system raises a precise flag when a critical column is missing so teams can request a clean export.
- Reconcile line-item sums with rollups: Heron compares the sum of lines to section and sheet totals. Variance flags include the difference amount and a pointer to the rows that require attention.
- Validate period and version context: Heron confirms period ending dates, submission dates, and version tags. A stale period or mislabeled revision gets flagged with a reason code so reviewers do not chase the wrong file.
- Check retainage math and caps: Heron verifies retainage calculations by line and rollup. The check calls out lines that exceed program caps or apply retainage inconsistently.
- Detect hidden columns and merged cells: Heron identifies formatting that distorts totals or hides values. The system suggests a clean export format so progress claims can be verified quickly.
- Highlight change order impact: Heron isolates change orders and shows how revised contract values flow through to the current application. Underwriters see the budget movement without manual rework.
Operational Impact
Scrubbing turns SOV review into a predictable, low-touch step. Queues shrink because the system does the math checks, period checks, and structure checks in seconds. Accuracy rises since the same rules apply to every submission, which removes subjective judgment and fatigue errors.
Teams spend less time reconciling rows and more time moving the deal forward. Broker conversations improve because requests reference specific exceptions rather than generic feedback.
Leaders gain a real view of where time is lost, which helps them set credible SLAs and staff the work that needs judgment.
Scrubbing Framework
- Document structure checks: Heron confirms table shape and headers. The system validates that required headers exist and are readable. It flags missing or mislabeled columns and links the flag to the exact header.
- Math and rollup checks: Heron reconciles line items to section and sheet totals. The platform computes independent sums, compares them to declared totals, and surfaces any variance with a numeric delta.
- Timeline checks: Heron validates period ending and submission dates. The check confirms chronology, flags stale periods, and notes future-dated entries that require review.
- Change order alignment: Heron compares original, CO total, and revised contract values. The system shows how change orders alter the contract and whether the current application amounts reflect the change.
- Retainage and progress logic: Heron verifies retainage rates and accumulated progress. The check finds lines where retainage exceeds caps or where the percent complete is inconsistent with prior periods.
- Version comparison: Heron highlights what changed between submissions. The platform shows differences in totals, quantities, or dates so reviewers focus on the delta, not the entire sheet.
Data Quality and Completeness Controls
- Column presence and normalization: Heron standardizes header names across variants. The system maps common header synonyms to your schema and flags missing core fields for quick follow-up.
- Readability and OCR confidence: Heron scores legibility at the field level. High confidence values pass through while low confidence cells route to a brief review without stopping clean data.
- File integrity checks: Heron detects corrupt or partial uploads. The platform flags incomplete exports, broken formulas, or truncated pages so the next request is specific and fast.
- Identity and linkage checks: Heron confirms project and merchant anchors. Project name, period, and deal ID must match the record. Mismatches become a clear exception rather than silent bad data.
- Exception taxonomy: Heron applies consistent reason codes. Missing column, broken total, stale period, or header mismatch appear as standard categories so teams can track and fix patterns.
Workflow Integration
- Intake to classification: SOVs arrive via email, portal, or API and are labeled correctly. Heron links each file to the right merchant or project record and compiles multi-file submissions into a single packet.
- Scrub and score: Heron runs structure, math, and timeline checks automatically. Each document receives a completeness and quality score with flags that reference specific cells or sections.
- Exception routing: Heron moves flagged items to a review queue with reason codes. Ops sees a short list of what to fix and can trigger a templated request to the broker.
- Write back and status: Heron writes clean results and scores to the CRM. The record updates with timestamps, confidence markers, and a ready-to-underwrite status when applicable.
- Next-action triggers: Heron routes ready items to the correct queue. Items move to underwriting, funding, or compliance streams based on readiness and program rules.
Performance Metrics and Analytics
- Intake-to-ready time: Scrubbing reduces prep time and stabilizes spikes, especially during monthly reporting cycles.
- Exception rate by reason: Missing columns, broken totals, and stale periods show up as trends that guide broker training.
- Review touch time: Expect steady declines as brokers adopt cleaner exports and reason codes get targeted.
- Version churn and delta size: Use this to plan capacity and to prioritize high delta reviews.
- Accuracy and rollback rate: Low rollback rates prove data trust and create confidence in straight-through outcomes.
Collaboration and Broker Experience
Scrubbing makes collaboration specific and fast. Brokers get a single message that lists the exact header to fix, the total variance to resolve, or the period that is stale.
Underwriters see progress and totals in the CRM without opening spreadsheets, which shortens prep time and keeps focus on approval decisions.
Operations coordinates from one queue where exceptions are labeled and prioritized. Compliance benefits from an automatic trail that shows what was checked and when. Everyone looks at the same facts in the same place, which reduces confusion and speeds funding.
Business Outcomes
SOV scrubbing reduces manual touches and rework across the board. Deals move from the inbox to decision faster because the system handles structure checks and math checks on every submission.
Exceptions are narrow and actionable, which improves broker relationships and reduces back and forth.
Leaders rely on stable metrics to forecast throughput and to spot the vendors or formats that slow the team. Over time, exception rates fall and review time shrinks as inputs improve.
The outcome is a faster pipeline, cleaner records, and a team that spends time on judgment rather than cell-by-cell verification.
Benefits of Using Heron for Scrubbing Schedule of Values
- Speed: Heron checks structure, math, and dates in seconds. Teams move directly to decisions instead of manual reconciliation.
- Accuracy: Heron applies consistent rules across every SOV. Results are objective and repeatable, which reduces disputes and errors.
- Scalability: Heron handles volume spikes without extra staff. Queues stay stable on busy reporting days.
- Clarity: Heron writes back scores and reasons into the CRM. Reviewers see exactly what changed and why an exception exists.
- Compliance: Heron creates a clear audit trail for every check. Auditors can trace outcomes to source files and timestamps.
FAQs About Scrub for Schedule of Values
How does Heron decide if an SOV is complete?
Heron looks for a minimum set of headers and readable values, then checks that line item sums match declared totals. If a required column is missing or a total is broken, the system flags the item and suggests the smallest fix.
What happens when a contractor sends a revised SOV?
Heron links the new file to the prior version, highlights the differences in totals or quantities, and updates the record. Reviewers focus on the delta while prior versions remain visible for reference.
Can Heron handle Excel workbooks with multiple tabs and hidden columns?
Yes. Heron detects hidden columns and merged cells that affect totals, then flags the impact. If the layout obscures math, the system requests a clean export and keeps the item visible while the fix is in progress.
How do scrubbing results flow into the CRM?
Heron writes a completeness score, exception codes, and ready status into the record with timestamps. Clean fields write through immediately, and flagged fields wait for resolution so teams do not propagate bad data.
Which metrics show that scrubbing is working?
Teams watch intake to ready time, exception rate by reason, review touch time, and rollback rate after write back. Improvements across these metrics show that scrubbing is lowering effort and increasing trust in the data.
