Frame Ledger / file order

Make a Simple Project Handoff Note

Leave enough context to reopen a finished or paused project.

The decision

A handoff note is useful even when the next editor is your future self. It should explain decisions and locations without becoming a second photo catalog.

A practical sequence

Write the project root, source group, selected output group, and current state. List the naming convention and any version distinctions. Include the intended output requirements and the unfinished decisions. Use broad names when a note might be shared. Before handing it to another person, verify that they can access the referenced files and understand which copy is authoritative.

Worked example

A paused museum visit project might say: originals on the archive drive; twelve selected images in the review collection; three detail frames await caption checks; newsletter exports belong in the newsletter folder; no public sharing until permissions are checked. This tells the next person what to do without pretending the project is finished.

What can go wrong

Do not include passwords, private client information, or unnecessary personal identifiers. A link to a drive does not grant permission to access it. If the recipient uses a different editor, clarify whether the handoff contains rendered files, originals, sidecars, or an application-specific catalog.

Your completion record

Test the note by following it once from a closed workspace. If you cannot locate the selected source or identify the pending task, replace vague phrases with the relevant filename or folder. Keep the note alongside the project rather than in an unrelated temporary chat.

Before continuing, check the record against the actual files rather than relying on memory. Keep uncertain decisions labeled as uncertain. The next useful step is the specific task named in your completion record, not a fresh pass through the entire archive.