step 44 the status system compares the pay applications at step 45 in the preferred embodiment the comparison of the pay applications is performed electronically via the status system software this comparison can use the intelligent recognition and artificial intelligence software as described above as described above in reference to the status reports triggers within the status system can initiate the manual comparison of the pay applications in a further aspect of this embodiment those pay applications that are received via facsimile or non electronic delivery means such as via u s postal mail will require manual review in another aspect all status reports received via facsimile or non electronic delivery are scanned including possible ocr and electronically stored in a file or database location accessible by the status system thereby allowing electronic automatic review by the status system ideally the pay applications should be identical however in some instances where there is a potentially dishonest principal or obligee the pay applications are different for example the principal may attempt to collect proceeds that exceed the estimated payable to date amount in view of the percentage of project completion in this instance this signals that there maybe incorrect data being tracked in the status.