A missing test report means the requested evidence has not been established in the review record. It is not, by itself, a failed test result. Keeping those states separate helps a technical team ask precise questions and avoids unsupported claims about either a proposed system or an alternative manufacturer.
State exactly what is unavailable
Identify the project requirement and the document requested to support it. Record whether no document was supplied, an extract was supplied or a cited document could not be obtained. For example, report requested; not yet received is a clear status. It should not be rewritten as untested or failed without evidence supporting that different statement.
Distinguish receipt from relevance
A received document can still leave the requirement unresolved if its named assembly or scope does not match the proposal. Record the reason the evidence does not yet establish the requested claim. Keep that status separate from the test outcome described in the document. A report about another configuration is a relevance gap, not proof that the proposed arrangement failed the same test.
Reserve outcome statements for actual evidence
If a document reports a result, cite the exact document and relevant section in the review record. Ask the responsible reviewer to interpret it within the test and project scope. Do not turn an incomplete comparison table into a pass or fail verdict. Avoid marketing conclusions about a competitor from an empty evidence field or an unanswered enquiry.
Ask a question that resolves the gap
Request the complete report, correct revision, assembly identification or clarification needed for the stated requirement. Identify who is following up and the date of the request. Keep the supplier response linked to the same evidence item. If the response remains unavailable, retain the unresolved status and refer the decision to the responsible project reviewer.
Preserve the final review decision
Record which evidence was eventually accepted, which differences remain and the conditions of any project decision. Keep evidence supplied, claimed performance and project acceptance as separate fields. A missing document can prevent a claim being substantiated without proving an adverse test outcome. A complete record explains what was known when the decision was made.
Working checklist
Example fields illustrate a record format; they are not a documented project, an approval or an installation instruction.
| Evidence state | Accurate record wording | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Not received | Requested report not supplied | That a test failed |
| Received; scope differs | Document does not cover proposed configuration | Outcome for another assembly |
| Reviewed | Decision, evidence reference and conditions recorded | Universal approval outside that scope |
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