A practical document handover checklist

The objective is not merely to produce zero warnings. It is to show that the issued files, document register and transmittal tell the same story.

Package scope

• Confirm the contractual or procedural definition of the handover.
• Identify the issue purpose, recipient, cut-off time and package owner.
• Decide whether native files, PDFs, models, metadata, readme files or transmittals belong in scope.
• Freeze the delivery folder while the final check is performed.

Register quality

• Use the approved register revision or a controlled export from the source system.
• Confirm the worksheet and header row.
• Check that document numbers, revisions and expected filenames have not been reformatted by spreadsheet software.
• Look for duplicate document numbers and duplicate expected filenames.
• Exclude withdrawn or superseded rows only in accordance with the agreed procedure.

Filename and identity

• Confirm that each expected deliverable has a stable document identifier.
• Check filename punctuation, leading zeros, extensions and case rules.
• If the complete filename is controlled, compare it directly.
• If only the document number is stable, use token-aware matching and review revision separately.
• Do not treat a partial text search as proof of identity; short numbers can occur inside unrelated filenames.

Revision and status

A filename can carry the expected revision while the title block contains something else. Conversely, a correct document may be named incorrectly. Confirm the revision and issue status using the authoritative document metadata required by your process.

• Compare the register revision with the issued document or model metadata.
• Confirm approval, suitability or status codes.
• Check that superseded revisions are not mixed into the delivery.
• Record any accepted deviation explicitly.

Folder structure and file access

• Confirm whether subfolders are allowed and whether their names carry meaning.
• Remove temporary lock files and editor recovery files when your procedure permits.
• Make cloud placeholders available locally before the scan.
• Check that protected or long paths did not prevent enumeration.
• Keep the package read-only during review; correct source material through the controlled workflow.

Exception review

Review the complete results, not just a green total. Missing files may be genuinely absent or simply named incorrectly. Unexpected files may be valid supporting material missing from the register. Ambiguous results require inspection of all candidate paths.

1. Assign an owner to every exception.
2. Correct the register or package at its authoritative source.
3. Run the same check again.
4. Record accepted exceptions in the transmittal or review evidence.

Handover evidence

• Export the full result to CSV or XLSX.
• Record the tool version, register identifier and matching rule.
• Record the scanned folder boundary and whether subfolders were included.
• Preserve the final report with the transmittal or quality record.
• If the package changes after checking, invalidate the old result and repeat the check.

Final release question

Can another person explain why every file is present, why every expected item is accounted for and how any exception was accepted? If not, the handover is not yet defensible—even if the folder looks tidy.

For a step-by-step comparison process, read How to check a document register against a delivery folder. Deliverable Preflight keeps that filename-level check local and leaves source files untouched.