Field notes
Building a cost annex from messy ledgers
Not every applicant keeps project codes. You can still assemble a credible schedule if you start from bank statements and contracts.
Many small organisations in Thailand run programmes without dedicated project ledgers. When a grant window opens, the finance officer faces a pile of supplier invoices and a payroll export with no activity tags.
Start by listing the activities in the application narrative. Then pull every invoice and payroll line that clearly belongs to those activities for the claimed period. Anything ambiguous goes into a holding list — do not force it into the annex until you have a written rationale.
We often recommend a two-column working file: “claimed now” and “held for later evidence.” That habit prevents last-minute padding and makes our later audit faster because the uncertain items are already separated.