Workspace Setup Checklist
Workspace setup should make the first CAM review files predictable. The goal is not to train a firm on every lease issue at once. The goal is to set roles, documents, scope rules, and review standards before client work starts.
CAMAudit can power the branded workflow. The partner still reviews findings, applies professional judgment, and signs off on client-ready work.
Workspace Setup Checklist
Use this checklist before the first live file.
| Area | Setup item | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Client fit | Pick first segment and excluded file types | Partner |
| Documents | Lease, amendments, statement, backup, and invoices | Coordinator |
| Workflow | Intake, prep, review, readout, and archive steps | Manager |
| Review standard | Clause, statement line, backup, and finding note | Reviewer |
| Scope rules | Screen, full review, batch review, counsel handoff | Partner |
| Branding | Report name, firm logo, and client readout format | Partner team |
| Quality control | Final review-and-sign gate | Partner reviewer |
First-file agenda
Start with one complete file. Walk through the lease, statement, backup, draft findings, and report output. Decide what the partner wants changed before expanding to more files.
Training boundary
Staff should know how to prepare a clean file and spot gaps. They should not make legal calls or send findings without review. The partner should decide what leaves the firm.
Review-and-sign close
Onboarding is done when the firm can run one file from intake to signoff without confusion. After that, add more files slowly and keep the same quality gate.
Launch sequence
Use this checklist when a new partner team is setting up delivery. Confirm users, branding, document intake, review roles, reporting rules, and signoff steps before the first client file moves.
Intake Fields
| Field | What to Capture | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Client and location | Legal client name, store or site name, property address, and internal owner | Keeps multi-location work from mixing files |
| Lease source | Base lease, amendments, side letters, renewal notices, and abstracts used | Shows what the reviewer actually relied on |
| Statement source | CAM, NNN, tax, insurance, utility, or operating expense statement reviewed | Ties every question to the landlord document |
| Review period | Month, quarter, reconciliation year, or renewal window | Prevents old support from being used for a new issue |
| Client goal | Scope, cost question, renewal support, diligence, or operating control | Keeps the work from drifting into unsupported advice |
| Partner owner | Person who reviews and signs the output | Makes professional judgment explicit |
Document Request
Send a narrow request first. Ask for the signed lease package, every amendment, side letter, commencement letter, latest reconciliation statement, landlord backup already received, and the prior-year statement if the client has it. If the client has a lease abstract, request it but do not treat it as the source of truth. The reviewer should use the abstract as a map and cite the signed documents.
If a file is missing, mark it in the exception log instead of filling the gap from memory. A missing amendment, side letter, or backup schedule can change the answer. The partner can still continue scoping, but client-facing findings should wait until the gap is acknowledged.
Review Workflow
| Step | Reviewer Action | Partner Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm the lease package is complete enough for the agreed scope | Decide whether gaps are acceptable or need a hold |
| 2 | Mark the clause, statement line, and support page for each review item | Confirm the source cite is strong enough for client use |
| 3 | Separate math issues from classification issues | Decide whether deterministic math or professional classification is needed |
| 4 | Draft the client note in plain language | Remove overclaiming, legal advice, or unsupported recovery language |
| 5 | Prepare the next-action options | Choose whether to request backup, monitor, escalate, or close |
Decision Gates
Use these gates before the partner signs off:
- The finding cites a lease clause and a statement line.
- The math can be repeated from the source packet.
- The client impact is described as a review item, not a promised outcome.
- Any legal-rights question is routed to counsel.
- The client communication names what is known, what is missing, and what the partner recommends next.
A file that fails one of those gates is not bad work. It is simply not ready for delivery. Keep it in the review queue and send a focused follow-up request.
Client Communication Draft
We reviewed the lease documents and the landlord support available for this scope. The item below is ready for partner review because it ties to a specific lease term and statement line. Before any landlord communication, we recommend confirming the open items listed in the source packet.
Use that wording as a starting point. It keeps the partner in control and avoids promising an outcome.
Where software supports the partner motion
CAMAudit can supply the review engine behind the offer, but the firm owns packaging, staffing, client advice, and signoff. Use it to support more files without treating software output as the final answer.
Quality-Control Checklist
- Source packet names every document used.
- Findings are grouped by client decision, not by software output.
- Open gaps are visible in the handoff.
- The final note avoids legal advice unless counsel supplied it.
- The partner can explain the finding without rereading the entire file.
- Internal links point to adjacent resources the reviewer can actually use next.
Launch handoff notes
Use these notes when the partner team is moving from setup into live files. Confirm the owner, first client segment, review limits, branding, and signoff path before adding volume.
First, name the decision the client needs to make. Some files need a backup request. Some need a renewal question. Some need a pricing or scope decision. If the decision is unclear, the partner should not send the item yet.
Second, tie the recommendation to source support. The reviewer should be able to point to the lease clause, amendment, statement line, invoice, or backup page that caused the issue. If the support is missing, the deliverable should say that support is missing and ask for the exact item.
Third, assign an owner. A staff member can prepare the workpaper, but a partner or senior reviewer should own the client-facing note. That owner checks tone, removes overstatement, and decides whether counsel needs to review the file.
Fourth, save the final packet. Keep the source documents, workpaper, draft note, and signed client communication together. That file becomes the starting point for next year's reconciliation season or the next location review.
Follow-up Prompts
- What would change the partner's answer?
- Which missing document would stop delivery?
- Which line should the client see first?
- What should be routed to counsel, if anything?
- What can be closed with no client action?
These prompts keep the work practical. They also help the firm train staff without turning the process into a black box.