The seven-part exception record
1. Event. Describe what happened in concrete terms.
2. Severity. Use a consistent critical/high/medium/low scale based on materiality and urgency.
3. Exposure. Quantify direct loss, revenue at risk, overpayment, underbilling, rework, SLA exposure or another measurable consequence.
4. Root cause. Separate the failure mechanism from the visible symptom.
5. Owner and due date. One accountable person owns the current correction.
6. Corrective action. State what will resolve the current event and how completion will be evidenced.
7. Preventive/detective control. Decide what should stop or surface the next occurrence.
What belongs in the weekly review
- Critical and high-severity open exceptions.
- Open dollar exposure and aging.
- Overdue corrective actions.
- Repeat root causes and control failures.
- Red KPIs that require intervention.
- Decisions blocked on leadership judgment.
Do not confuse a correction with a control. Fixing today's invoice, payout, handoff or report resolves one event. A control changes the probability or detectability of the next event.
When an exception should become an automation candidate
Repeated, rule-based exceptions with measurable volume, stable inputs and a defined tolerance are strong candidates. First make the detection and escalation logic explicit; then model payback using the recurring error cost and labor burden.
Implement the framework in one workbook
Operator Control System connects the Exception Log to controls, KPIs, process risk, automation ROI and the weekly leadership review.
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