A clean layout can still carry an unclear number. Before charts and callouts are built, ask the reporting owner to agree what each total means and where it came from.
Five things to keep together
- Source and page. Record the supplied export or table, its version, the metric and source cell or row. Pair it with the report page, chart or callout that uses it. Repeat the reference when the same number appears twice.
- Reporting window. Keep start and end dates, time zone, filters, units and refresh cutoff beside the total. Calendar year, financial year and “to date” need separate labels.
- Counting rule. Visits, sessions and services delivered may count repeated activity. They do not establish unique people. Have the owner approve the definition before changing the label.
- Comparison and tolerance. Compare like with like. Agree any rounding or acceptable difference with the reporting owner. A changed definition or missing source is an open question, even when the arithmetic looks tidy.
- Approval and version. Name the person who approves definitions. Keep the source version, report version, differences and unresolved questions together through the final proof round.
A note to send with the content handoff
Could you pair the impact totals with their source cells and intended report pages, and confirm the reporting window and counting rule?
Please flag anything that counts repeat activity, uses a different date range or still needs approval. We can keep those questions visible before the figures become charts.
Illustration only: “240 workshop attendances” cannot be relabelled “240 people reached” without evidence about repeat attendance. This is a fictional example, not a client finding or a verified count.
This checklist organizes supplied evidence. It does not authenticate source data, verify upstream collection, certify financial accounts or establish unique-person counts.