In management reporting, which category best describes error reports that highlight transactions or conditions violating expected rules or thresholds so that managers can take corrective action?

Introduction / Context:
Error reports surface anomalies, violations, or out-of-bounds values that require attention. Rather than listing all activity, they focus on deviations from the norm. In reporting taxonomy, such targeted alerts fall into a specific category aimed at exception handling and rapid remediation by managers and analysts.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Only irregular or erroneous items are displayed.
• The purpose is to drive corrective action, not just inform.
• Generation may be event-triggered or periodic with exception filtering.

Concept / Approach:

Exception reports filter data to show only items that meet predefined exception criteria, such as missing approvals, negative inventory, failed validations, or outlier transactions. This helps management prioritize responses rather than comb through complete datasets. While they may be scheduled or requested, their defining trait is the focus on exceptions rather than routine summaries.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

ERP and MIS systems define exception reporting modules for compliance and quality control, reinforcing this classification.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Scheduled/demand: Describe when reports run, not their content.

Predictive: Concerned with forecasting future outcomes, not flagging current errors.

Management reports: A broad class; too generic to pinpoint error-focused alerts.

Common Pitfalls:

Confusing exception reports with audit logs; exceptions are curated alerts, not exhaustive histories.

Final Answer:

exception reports