Prepare generated files for a clean handoff

A handoff should make the accepted version obvious and explain what was checked. Remove ambiguity between drafts, intermediate outputs and final deliverables.

Work through these checks

1. Inventory

list the files being handed over. Record the evidence or the unresolved question before moving on.

2. Version

identify the accepted revision. Record the evidence or the unresolved question before moving on.

3. Sources

include permitted input references. Record the evidence or the unresolved question before moving on.

4. Checks

record completed and unavailable validation. Record the evidence or the unresolved question before moving on.

5. Open issues

name anything the receiver must still resolve. Record the evidence or the unresolved question before moving on.

Put the checklist to work

Put a short readme beside the final workbook explaining the reporting period, source files and known gaps.

Keep the checklist beside the task brief and the actual output. Mark a check complete only after inspecting the relevant file, setting or event. If a required check cannot run in the current environment, describe that gap and choose an appropriate next review rather than substituting a confident summary.

A boundary to remember

Do not label an artifact final merely because it is the newest file in the directory.

For the corresponding controls and troubleshooting steps, read the desktop help guide. These checks are a practical review aid; adapt them to the specific source material and intended use of your deliverable.