Philippines staffing guide
Quality-Check Client Documents Before an Assistant Sends Them
Formatting review is a defined checklist with a named approver, not a last-minute glance at the file.
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A document that looks fine on the assistant's screen can arrive at the client with a broken table of contents, a clipped logo, and the previous client's name in the footer. Formatting review is not vanity. It is the last control before an artifact leaves the building with the company's name on it, and it deserves a checklist rather than a hopeful glance.
Check identity before layout
Confirm the client name, matter or project reference, document title, version, and date on the cover and in the header. Search the file for the previous client's name and for placeholder text. Metadata can carry an old author or company name, so clear it when the template allows. These checks take a minute and catch the mistakes that embarrass a relationship.
Test the structure, not just the appearance
Use the heading styles rather than manual bold text so the navigation pane and any generated contents page work. Check that numbered lists restart where intended and that tables have header rows. Open the file in the format the client will use, if possible. A layout that depends on a font the client does not have will reflow the moment it is opened.
Scan for accessibility basics
Add alt text to meaningful images, use real table headers, and keep contrast readable. Check that the document does not rely on color alone to convey a status. These steps help readers who use assistive technology and they also improve the document for everyone who skims it on a phone. They are not a specialist audit, but they catch the common failures.
Keep sensitive content on a need-to-know path
Remove comments, tracked changes, hidden sheets, and speaker notes before sending unless the client is expecting them. Check that the attachment does not include an internal cover note or a draft tab that was meant for review. If the document contains personal data, confirm that the recipient is approved to receive it and that the sharing link is restricted.
Name the approver for the final look
The assistant can complete the checklist and prepare the file. A named owner approves the version that goes out, especially when the document contains pricing, legal language, or a client commitment. Record who approved which version and when. If the client later asks about a change, the team can trace the exact file that was sent.
Learn from every return
When a client or account owner sends a document back, record the defect category: identity, structure, accessibility, sensitivity, or content. Review the pattern monthly. Three returns for the same reason mean the template or the checklist is wrong, not that the assistant needs to try harder.