Assess the missing item

Record what is absent, why it matters and who is responsible for obtaining it. Distinguish a document that does not exist from one that exists but is not yet available to the reviewer. Avoid replacing either with a polished narrative that appears to resolve the underlying question. Determine which conversations can reasonably continue while the item remains open and which need the evidence first.

Set a practical resolution path

Give the item a next action and a realistic review date. If a substitute source is offered, explain precisely what it supports and what it cannot establish. Update the index when the missing file arrives. Do not remove the issue from the log until the appropriate owner confirms that it answers the original question. A complete status history is often more useful than a vague assurance that everything will be shared later.

Put the guide to work

Prepare a missing-item summary before a review rather than waiting for the reader to discover the gaps. Order it by relevance to the next decision, not by embarrassment or ease of completion. This lets both sides agree which evidence is essential now and which can follow later.

Imagine this

Hypothetical example

A facilities proposal lacks the latest maintenance report. The operator can still explain its service model, but marks equipment-condition statements as pending confirmation. The prospect receives a clear list of what the present pack supports and what will be checked later.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

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