Skill test for an accountant

By Teneb, in Dark Heresy Gamemasters

This likely sounds weird, but my Acolytes are investigating a shady character. In order to find his hideout, one option they have is to review his financial records which will reveal its location (through payment data). Mundane, I know. Anyway, I'm having a hard time figuring out which skill this would be a test against. Anyone have any thoughts? I've already used Tech Use for another piece of the skill challenge, so I'd shy away from that....

I would require a Search test, probably.

Although I think a case could be made for either Literacy or Scolastic Lore (Bureaucracy).

I would say it would depend on how the payment data leads to the information they are seeking. If it's as simple as finding the information right on the page, then Search makes sense. If the information is only obvious to a practiced accountant or is otherwise tied up in formal language, official forms, etc, then Scholastic Lore (Bureacracy) will work. If the information isn't on the page, but instead they have to follow a complex series of transactions then maybe a mix of Scholastic Lore (Numerology) to follow the trail and Scholastic Lore (Bureacracy) to make sense of the info once you get there.

Id either go with a straight Intelligence or Perception test as they read the available data or go with Logic or Trade (Valet).

All very good suggestions - I'll probably go with a combination of some of the above. Thanks all!

I'd say a Logic test rather than search or tech use.

Profession Copyist or Scribe?

Scholastic Lore : Bureaucracy seems best.

A Literacy and Logic test?

Do you have an adept in the PC's group? Perhaps a +10 Tech Use to access it, followed by a search test at Challanging +0. But if the adept worked for the administratium give him a bonus of some sort. If they fail they may have to make a contact with an accountant or someone with a level of skill at this.