Document request checklist
Use this checklist when the client or landlord needs one clear file request.
Keep the role split clear. The platform can organize the evidence, but the firm makes the professional call.
Where it fits
Use it when missing support, timing, or math could change the client message. It is for workpapers, client prep, and partner review inside the firm.
Copy-and-use artifact
Copy this into your workpaper system. Keep the left column steady so reviewers can compare files across clients.
| Field | Entry | Source or note |
|---|---|---|
| Signed lease | ||
| Amendments | ||
| Side letters | ||
| Exhibits | ||
| CAM reconciliation | ||
| Tax bill support | ||
| Insurance support | ||
| Utility backup | ||
| GL detail | ||
| Prior year statements | ||
| Payment ledger | ||
| Landlord emails |
Review path
- Name the staff owner and partner reviewer.
- Save the lease, amendments, statement, and backup in the file.
- Tie each note to a clause, statement line, or support page.
- Mark missing support in plain words.
- Separate math checks from judgment calls.
- Draft client wording only after source support is reviewed.
- Record partner signoff before delivery.
Request email
Subject: Document request for CAM review
Hi [Name],
Please send the checked items below. If an item is not available, note that in your reply so we can mark the file correctly. We will confirm scope after the core lease and statement files are received.
Thanks,
[Sender]
Partner signoff note
Reviewed by:
Date:
Client-ready items:
Open items:
Items held back:
Counsel review needed:
Next step approved:
Common mistakes
- Asking for all backup without naming the charge area.
- Forgetting amendments and side letters.
- Letting the document list live only in email.
Backup request tracker
Use this request when the file is missing proof. Ask for exact leases, amendments, statements, invoices, and schedules so the client can forward a narrow list instead of a vague demand.
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 keeps the handoff clean
CAMAudit can keep the request tied to the lease, statement, and missing support list. The partner controls the client relationship and decides how firm or narrow the request should be.
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.
Request notes
Use these notes when the file cannot move until proof arrives. Ask for exact documents, name the blocker, and keep the partner from filling gaps with assumptions.
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.