When you pass on unfinished work, the new person needs six things: where it stands, the very next step, what was decided and why, what is still open, who to talk to, and where the files are. Write them in a short note on the task itself, and walk them through it for ten minutes.
What gets lost
The work itself is usually saved. What gets lost is everything around it:
- Why you chose this approach.
- What you already tried that did not work.
- What the client said on the phone.
- Which file is the latest version.
The new person repeats your mistakes, reopens settled decisions and asks the client questions they already answered.
The six things to write down
1. Where it stands. "Draft is 70% done. Sections 1–3 finished."
2. The very next step. "Write section 4 using the June numbers."
3. Decisions and why. "We dropped the chart on page 2 because the client found it confusing."
4. What is still open. "Waiting on Alex for the plan names. Chase on Wednesday."
5. People. "Jordan at Northwind prefers email and replies within a day."
6. Files. "Latest version: Drive / Northwind / June / v3. Ignore v2."
A short handover note
HANDOVER · Northwind June report · Dana → Sam · June 23STATUS: sections 1–3 done, 4–5 to writeNEXT: section 4, using the dashboard numbers from June 30DECIDED: no chart on page 2 (client found it confusing)OPEN: plan names from Alex, chase WedPEOPLE: Jordan (client) prefers emailFILES: Drive/Northwind/June/v3 (latest)
Put it on the task
A handover note in an email gets buried. Put it on the task, next to the work, so it travels with it.
Walk them through it
Ten minutes on a call, going through the note, catches what you forgot to write. Ask them to say back the next step.
Keep notes as you go
The best handovers are written before anyone needs them. A one-line status on each task at the end of each day means a sudden handover takes minutes.
For longer handovers
For leave or a role change, use the full handover document template.
Context that travels with the task
In M-Tracker, each task keeps its brief, status, files and review history together. The next person sees what was asked, what was done and what came back, without asking you. No screenshots and no activity tracking.
Where M-Tracker fits
M-Tracker gives every task a clear brief and every finished piece of work a first review, in plain words, before it reaches the manager. No screenshots, no scores.
Try M-Tracker free14-day trial. No credit card. No employee surveillance.
Questions people ask
What if I am leaving tomorrow?
Write the six things for your three most important tasks first. Then the rest.
How do I know it worked?
The new person should not need to contact you in their first week. If they do, add the answer to the note.
Work you can trust, without redoing it.
Your team gets feedback before work reaches you, or your client.
Copyright © 2020 – 2026 M-Tracker. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy