A cover sheet for a commission handover
A blank handover manifest and fictional completed pack listing source, detail, summary, decisions, assumptions and backup records with clear reconciliation checks.
A folder of exports becomes a usable handover when the recipient knows what each file contains and how the totals relate. This manifest acts as the cover sheet: one period, one pack reference and one row per supporting file. It records preparation, completeness and open questions without claiming that anyone has received or approved the pack.
The useful part
A summary and its detail describe the same commission. Reconcile them to each other; do not add them together.
Your working files
Download blank templateCSV · Column headings only. Add your own records to a copy.Download fictional exampleCSV · Completed sample records in AUD. Use for practice, not a live close.Describe the pack before sending it
Create a pack reference and use consistent period dates across its files. Include the original source export, reviewed detail, staff summary, exception decisions and calculation assumptions. Reference a backup separately if appropriate for your process. The fictional filenames are examples, not additional downloads supplied by this page; the two downloads here are the blank manifest and its filled illustration.
Make every listed file identifiable
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Pack ID / Period start / Period end | Unique handover reference and inclusive coverage dates. |
| Prepared by / Prepared date | Who assembled the pack and when. |
| Component | Source, detail, summary, decisions, assumptions or backup. |
| Filename | Exact filename, including its extension. |
| Purpose | What the reviewer should use this component to check. |
| Data rows | Item or staff row count; blank if not relevant. |
| Commission AUD | Relevant comparison total, not an amount to add across files. |
| Review status | Prepared, checked or open, with consistent meanings. |
| Intended recipient | Role or named reviewer; this is not a delivery confirmation. |
| Notes | Known limitations, differences or remaining actions. |
Understand the fictional six-file pack
The example lists three source lines, three reviewed detail lines and one staff-summary line. Both detail and summary show $43.00 commission. The decision log explains the −$40.00 refund effect already included in that total. Adding $43.00 + $43.00 − $40.00 would be wrong because these files are different views of the same calculation.
| Comparison | Expected relationship |
|---|---|
| Detail commission to summary commission | 43.00 = 43.00 |
| Positive commission plus reviewed refund | 83.00 − 40.00 = 43.00 |
| Source to detail row coverage | 3 source lines represented by 3 reviewed lines |
Open the files before you share
A manifest is not a substitute for permission to share the underlying records. Remove unnecessary personal information and use the access arrangements appropriate to the recipient.
- Check that each listed filename exists in the intended pack.
- Confirm dates, row counts and totals using the actual file contents.
- Check that every exception can be traced to its evidence.
- Record any open question explicitly and identify who must resolve it.
Separate preparation from receipt
“Prepared” means the files were assembled, not that the bookkeeper reviewed them. Record receipt or follow-up in your normal process after it happens. Keep the exact version handed over so later questions can be answered against the same evidence. If a file is replaced, issue a clearly identified revision and explain which earlier version it supersedes.
Put it to work.
Connect the source records, decisions and final totals.
Read the handover method