Can't ChatGPT or Claude do this?

No. General-purpose AI is great at "summarize this PDF," but it can't "reconcile 200 pages of POs with 200 pages of invoices, item by item." Two reasons: (1) Page limit: general AI can't process long documents at once — it forgets along the way. (2) Structure: accurately reading which cell is which item from a PDF layout requires a specialized engine. That's what "M10 Bolt" vs "M-10 Bolt" matching needs. The same goes for transcription: ask a general AI for an Excel file and it regenerates the workbook, breaking merged cells, formulas, and print settings. Totsugo is purpose-built for reconciliation and transcription — it writes only the values into your original template.

Can we verify the accuracy before committing?

Yes. When you get in touch we will walk you through checking the matching accuracy and speed on the documents you already work with. Pricing depends on your scale and the systems you connect, so we quote individually.

What if the AI misses something or gets it wrong?

Every match is displayed with its evidence — exactly which part of the left document was compared with which part of the right. AI never finalizes anything on its own: a human always makes the final call. If you spot a mistake, fix it on the spot and confirm with Enter. There is no "AI silently made a mistake somewhere" failure mode.

What types of documents are supported?

Invoices, purchase orders, receipts, delivery notes — virtually all standard business documents. AI understands even custom layouts. Faxed documents and PDFs with handwriting work as-is.

Does Totsugo also do transcription, not just reconciliation?

Yes. Totsugo transcribes PDF checksheets into your own Excel templates, and auto-creates freee invoice drafts from COREC order data. Excel transcription writes only the values into your original template, so merged cells, formulas, and print settings never break. In both cases AI drafts the work and a human reviews cell by cell, then confirms with Enter.

Do we need to change our workflow?

No. Just upload the PDFs you already use. No format changes or system integrations required.

How is my uploaded data handled?

All traffic is encrypted via SSL/TLS, and stored data is encrypted at rest. Your documents are never shared with third parties without your consent. See our Privacy Policy for details.

How long does setup take?

Create an account with your email, pick a plan, and you can start immediately. The whole flow is online and self-serve — no initial setup needed.

Tired of 'Tsukiawase'? Complete Guide to AI-Powered Data Matching

Right monitor and left monitor. Paper slips and Excel on screen. Moving your eyes back and forth, checking numbers… “Tsukiawase” (Matching) work.

By evening, your vision blurs, your head feels heavy… That’s not because you aren’t working hard enough. It’s because “Human eyes are not built for comparing massive data.”

This article explores the limits of manual data matching and introduces AI-powered solutions that can transform your workflow.

What is “Tsukiawase”?

Definition

Tsukiawase (突き合わせ) is the Japanese term for data matching or reconciliation - the process of comparing two sets of data to ensure they match.

Japanese	English Equivalent	Context
突き合わせ	Data matching	General
照合	Verification	Formal
突合	Reconciliation	Accounting

Common Matching Tasks

Source	Target	What to Check
Invoice	Purchase Order	Amounts, quantities
Delivery Note	Order	Items received
Bank Statement	Ledger	Transactions
Inventory Count	System Records	Stock levels

Is That Stiff Shoulder Caused by “Tsukiawase”?

Physical Symptoms of Manual Matching

Symptom	Cause	Frequency
Eye strain	Screen staring	Very common
Stiff shoulders	Poor posture	Very common
Headaches	Visual fatigue	Common
Back pain	Prolonged sitting	Common
Wrist pain	Repetitive movements	Moderate

Psychological Impact

Impact	Description	Long-term Effect
Stress	Fear of missing errors	Burnout
Anxiety	Deadline pressure	Work avoidance
Boredom	Repetitive nature	Disengagement
Frustration	Finding many errors	Demotivation

The Limits of “Visual Checks”

It is said that a human can concentrate on comparing data accurately for only a few dozen minutes. Beyond that, the brain fatigues, and mistakes occur.

Cognitive Limitations

Phenomenon	Description	Result
Gestaltzerfall	Characters become meaningless symbols	Cannot spot differences
Inattentional blindness	Missing obvious errors	Errors slip through
Slips	Assuming matches when they don’t	False positives
Fatigue drift	Accuracy drops over time	More errors later

Error Rates by Time

Duration	Accuracy	Error Rate
0-30 min	98%	2%
30-60 min	95%	5%
60-90 min	90%	10%
90+ min	85%	15%

Willpower won’t fix this. You need to change the system.

Traditional Matching Methods

Method 1: Dual Monitor Comparison

Process: Display source on left screen, target on right, compare visually.

Advantage	Disadvantage
No setup needed	Highly error-prone
Works anywhere	Very slow
Flexible	Causes eye strain

Method 2: Excel VLOOKUP

Process: Use formulas to find matching records.

Advantage	Disadvantage
Automated matching	Cannot handle variations
Fast for exact matches	#N/A on slight differences
Free (Excel included)	Formula maintenance

Method 3: Highlighting Differences

Process: Use conditional formatting to show mismatches.

Advantage	Disadvantage
Visual indication	Still requires setup
Good for numbers	Text variations missed
Built into Excel	Manual configuration

Leave “Looking” to AI

Totsugo is your AI partner that does the “Tsukiawase” for you.

Why AI is Better

Factor	Human	AI	Winner
Tirelessness	Fatigues	Checks item 10,000 same as item 1	AI
Speed	Minutes per page	Seconds for thousands	AI
Consistency	Varies with mood	Always the same	AI
Variations	Misses subtle differences	Recognizes “Bros.” = “Brothers”	AI

What You Do

You only need to check the parts Totsugo marks in red as “Different”. Spend zero time looking at the 99% of “Matching Data”.

Traditional Flow	AI-Assisted Flow
Check every row	Review only exceptions
2 hours work	5 minutes review
Eye strain	Minimal strain
High error rate	Near-zero errors

How AI Matching Works

Step 1: Upload

Drag and drop both files (PDF, CSV, Excel, etc.)

Step 2: AI Analysis

AI reads and understands both documents, identifying comparable fields.

Step 3: Intelligent Matching

AI compares data, accounting for:

Text variations (“Inc.” vs “Corporation”)
Number formatting (1,000 vs 1000)
Date formats (01/23 vs Jan 23)
Spelling variations

Step 4: Exception Display

Only discrepancies are highlighted for human review.

Case Study: Before and After

Before: Manual Matching

Metric	Value	Impact
Time spent	3 hours/day	Lost productivity
Errors missed	2-3/week	Financial risk
Employee satisfaction	Low	Turnover risk
Overtime	5 hours/week	Labor costs

After: AI-Assisted Matching

Metric	Value	Improvement
Time spent	20 min/day	90% reduction
Errors missed	0/week	100% improvement
Employee satisfaction	High	Better retention
Overtime	0 hours/week	100% reduction

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can AI handle handwritten documents?

A. AI-OCR can read handwritten text, though accuracy is lower than printed text.

Q. What file formats are supported?

A. PDF, Excel, CSV, and more. Most common business formats are supported.

Q. How accurate is AI matching?

A. 95%+ accuracy on standard documents. Discrepancies are flagged for human review.

Q. Is my data secure?

A. Data is encrypted during processing and deleted afterward.

Q. How long does implementation take?

A. Start same day. Upload files within 10 minutes of account creation.

Q. Can it handle multiple languages?

A. Yes. Totsugo supports English, Japanese, and other languages.

Protect Your Eyes Starting Tomorrow

Automating matching isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about protecting your health.

Health Benefits

Benefit	Description	Value
Reduced eye strain	Less screen staring	Better vision long-term
Less neck pain	Better posture	Fewer doctor visits
Lower stress	No fear of missing errors	Better mental health
Work-life balance	Leave on time	Quality of life

Why not end the eye-straining manual work today? Use Totsugo and go home on time.

👉 Automate ‘Tsukiawase’ with Totsugo