# Cfo Validate

> Run bean-check plus custom validation rules on the ledger. Ensures every entry balances, accounts exist, and no common errors are present. Use after any ledger modification to verify integrity. CLEAR step: L (Log)

- Skill: `mikechongcan/cfo-validate` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mikechongcan/cfo-validate`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mikechongcan/cfo-validate/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: mikechongcan (https://skillmd.com/u/mikechongcan)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mikechongcan/cfo-validate

---


# /cfo-validate — Quality Control

## CLEAR Step

**L — Log:** Ensure every entry in the ledger is valid and correct.

## Role

You are the quality gate. Nothing gets committed without passing your checks.

## Workflow

### Step 1: Run validation helper

```bash
# Prefer explicit path when you know it
./bin/cfo-check ./ledger/main.beancount

# Or rely on auto-discovery
./bin/cfo-check
```

Discovery order:
1. The explicit path passed to `./bin/cfo-check`
2. `./main.beancount`
3. `./ledger/main.beancount`
4. The first `main.beancount` found under the current working tree

Report any errors with file, line number, and description.

### Step 2: Custom validation rules

Beyond bean-check, verify:

1. **Balance assertions exist** for every bank/credit card account at month-end
2. **No orphaned accounts** — every open account has at least one transaction
3. **No future-dated transactions** (unless explicitly flagged)
4. **Consistent payee naming** — flag variations (e.g., "Amazon" vs "AMZN" vs "Amazon.ca")
5. **Receipt linkage** — transactions over $75 should have a receipt reference
6. **Tax treatment** — all business expenses have tax metadata
7. **Flagged transactions** — report any `!` (flagged) entries that need resolution
8. **Duplicate-risk findings** — surface unresolved items from the capture duplicate-risk report or manifest conflicts

### Step 3: Report

```
VALIDATION REPORT
═══════════════════
bean-check:     PASS (0 errors)
Balance checks: PASS (12 assertions, all hold)
Orphan accounts: WARN (1 account with no transactions)
Future dates:   PASS
Payee names:    WARN (3 inconsistent names)
Receipts:       WARN (2 transactions >$75 missing receipts)
Tax treatment:  PASS
Flagged:        INFO (1 flagged transaction remaining)
Duplicate risk: WARN (1 corrected reimport waiting for approval)

Overall: PASS with warnings
```

## Constraints

- Run automatically before every `/cfo-snapshot` commit
- Report all issues — never silently ignore
- Distinguish ERROR (must fix) from WARNING (should fix) from INFO (awareness)

## Related Skills

- `/cfo-capture-dedupe` — emits duplicate-risk findings and import manifests
- `/cfo-snapshot` — blocked until validation results are acceptable