
Break Trace
OfficialFreeEfficiently diagnose reconciliation breaks with root-cause analysis.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Break Trace does
Break Trace is a specialized skill designed to assist financial operations teams in diagnosing reconciliation breaks by tracing them back to their source transactions. After a break has been classified by the general ledger reconciliation process, this skill enables users to pull detailed information from both the general ledger (GL) and the subledger. By following a structured trace path, users can identify discrepancies between the two sides and understand the underlying causes of the breaks.
The skill operates through a series of defined steps. First, it retrieves the relevant GL side data using the internal GL MCP, which includes essential details such as the journal entry, posting date, source system, and preparer information. Next, it accesses the corresponding subledger transaction data, providing insights into trade details, counterparty information, and the foreign exchange rates applied. By comparing these attributes, users can pinpoint the specific differences that led to the reconciliation break.
Once the differences are identified, Break Trace generates a concise root-cause statement that summarizes the issue in a clear format. This statement follows a specific structure, enabling teams to quickly grasp what went wrong and why. For instance, it might indicate timing issues, mapping discrepancies, or duplicate postings. The output is structured in a JSON format, providing a clear and actionable summary for further processing by the appropriate teams.
This skill is particularly valuable for financial analysts, accountants, and operations teams who deal with complex reconciliations and need a reliable method to trace and diagnose issues efficiently. By automating the root-cause analysis process, Break Trace saves time and reduces the potential for errors in manual investigations.
When to use it
Use this skill after a reconciliation break has been classified to efficiently trace it back to the originating transaction.
When not to use it
This skill is not suitable for real-time transaction posting or adjustments; it is strictly for diagnosis and analysis.
What you can build with it
Identifying Timing Breaks
After a reconciliation break is classified, use Break Trace to determine if the GL and subledger posted on different dates.
Mapping Discrepancies
Utilize the skill to find out if there are mapping issues between the GL accounts and subledger feeds.
Duplicate Post Analysis
When facing potential duplicate postings, Break Trace can help confirm if the same trade has been recorded multiple times.
How to install Break Trace
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add anthropics/financial-services/break-trace --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by anthropicsRoot-cause a break
Given a single break row (key, GL values, subledger values, bucket, likely cause), trace it to source and produce a root-cause statement.
Trace path
- Pull the GL side — via the internal-gl MCP, fetch the journal entry or posting that produced this GL line: entry id, posting date, source system, batch id, preparer.
- Pull the subledger side — via the subledger MCP, fetch the matching transaction: trade id, trade/settle dates, counterparty, source feed, FX rate used.
- Diff the attributes — line up posting date, FX rate/date, account mapping, quantity sign, amount sign. The differing attribute is usually the cause.
Cause → statement
Write the root cause as a single sentence in the form "⟨side⟩ ⟨did what⟩ because ⟨reason⟩", e.g.:
- "GL posted on settle date (T+2) while subledger posted on trade date — timing break, will clear on 2026-05-07."
- "Subledger used WM/R 4pm rate; GL used Bloomberg close — FX break of 12 bps on the base amount."
- "Security ABC123 maps to GL account 11420 in the mapping table but the subledger fed 11410 — mapping break, raise to reference-data."
- "Subledger posted the trade twice (trade ids 88412 and 88419 are duplicates) — duplicate post, suppress 88419."
Output
For each traced break, return:
{
"key": "...",
"root_cause": "one sentence as above",
"owner": "ops | reference-data | accounting | upstream-system",
"expected_clear_date": "YYYY-MM-DD or null",
"action": "monitor | adjust | raise-ticket | suppress"
}
Only the resolver writes adjustments — this skill diagnoses, it does not post.
Frequently asked questions about Break Trace
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