Start with the import history
Make a list of the files and connections used for each account. Record the source name, import method, date range, import date, and time zone. Overlapping coverage is easier to spot in this inventory than in a total balance.
CoinLedger’s duplicate-import guidance identifies repeated wallet addresses and mixing CSV and API imports for the same exchange as possible sources of duplicates. Its duplicate detection depends on the import method; a completed import is not proof that every repeated event was removed.
Build a candidate list, then verify it
- Compare the source account. Similar activity in different accounts may describe a transfer rather than a repeated trade.
- Compare identifiers. Use trade IDs, order references, and transaction hashes where available. A single order or on-chain transaction can include several entries, so also inspect the row’s role.
- Compare the event details. Check the asset pair, quantities, timestamp, direction, fee, and description against the source.
- Compare coverage. Establish whether both imports include the same underlying event or whether one file supplies missing information.
Keep “possible duplicate” separate from “confirmed duplicate.” Identical amounts or a shared order ID alone do not establish that one entry is redundant.
Example: overlapping files versus separate trades
| Candidate | What the evidence shows | Working-ledger action |
|---|---|---|
| A monthly export and an annual export contain the same trade ID and matching event details. | The original source confirms one trade represented twice. | Represent the trade once and note both source references. |
| Two trades have the same quantity but different trade IDs. | The records show separate executions. | Keep both events. |
| A trade row and a fee row share one order reference. | They describe different parts of the same order. | Preserve the fee detail; review how the agreed ledger represents it. |
These cases show why a rule that removes every repeated amount or identifier can discard useful activity.
Keep corrections reversible and traceable
Preserve the downloaded source files. Before changing imported data, keep an export of the current ledger and note which rows or imports you will review. If you use software, check its current instructions for managing imports.
Removing an entire overlapping import can also remove rows absent from the import you keep. Compare the periods and event types first. Record the action, the reason, the supporting source, and any detail retained from the secondary file.
After the change, review the affected transaction count, balances, and warnings. A lower row count is expected only when the evidence supports repeated entries; a changed total by itself does not establish accuracy.
When to ask for a cleanup review
Consider a review when repeated imports span several exchanges, when the files use different formats, or when the same issue returns after a sync. Elena’s transaction cleanup service brings source coverage, duplicate checks, and documented corrections into an agreed ledger.
In your inquiry, name the software, affected account, years, and import methods. Keep the source files available for the next step.
See how the records fit together
View the illustrative record package to compare source rows, a working ledger, correction notes, and an open-items list.