Start with a delivery record
When an advertising or media account is handed over, clear documentation can prevent later confusion. A day-zero record captures what was delivered, when it arrived, what access steps worked, and what messages appeared at the time. It is a snapshot of the handover—not a test plan and not a guide to changing or concealing account activity.
This record can help both sides. A buyer has a dated reference if a setting, warning, or access detail is later disputed. An honest seller can point to the same record when clarifying what was included or what was visible at delivery. Keep the notes factual: distinguish what you observed from what someone told you, and avoid conclusions about the account’s condition that the record cannot support.
Use a secure place to collect the material before beginning. A private folder with access limited to the people who need it is generally more suitable than a shared chat or public cloud link. Agree with the seller on a practical way to exchange handover details without placing passwords or recovery secrets in the log.
Capture relevant pages and settings
Take dated screenshots of the status pages and settings relevant to the handover and intended work. Depending on the platform and account type, that may include the account overview, the visible account or business identity, assigned access, and settings that affect routine use. Capture only what is needed to show the state at delivery.
Make sure each image includes enough context to identify the page. A cropped detail can be useful, but it may be difficult to interpret later if it omits the platform name, page heading, or surrounding status. Keep an uncropped original where practical, and make any explanatory crop a separate copy rather than replacing the original.
Screenshots document what was visible on screen; they do not establish facts beyond that. If a page showed a notice, record the wording visible in the image and the time you captured it. Do not infer why the platform displayed it. If a status page was unavailable, note that plainly rather than filling the gap with an assumption.
Keep codes and secrets out
Before saving or sharing an image, check it for sensitive information. Do not include passwords, one-time codes, recovery codes, authentication prompts, private email contents, payment details, personal identification, or other secrets that could expose an account or an individual. Avoid screenshots of inboxes or phone messages unless a specific, necessary detail can be safely redacted.
The safest record is usually one that does not capture a secret in the first place. If a screenshot already contains sensitive material, do not circulate it casually. Keep an unredacted copy only if there is a clear, legitimate need and a secure place for it; create a redacted copy for ordinary handover notes. Make sure the redaction fully covers the information rather than merely placing a removable shape over it.
Never put credentials or codes in filenames, captions, or a handover log. Store any access information through an agreed secure method, separate from the evidence folder. Documentation should help establish what happened without creating another route to the account.
Write down what arrived and when
Add a short receipt note as soon as the handover is complete. Identify the platform and account type in general terms, describe the materials or access that were received, and record the date and time using a clear time zone. Note the delivery channel, such as a private message or secure file transfer, without copying unnecessary personal details into the record.
Keep the wording precise. “Received access instructions and an account overview screenshot” is more useful than “everything received.” If an item was expected but did not arrive, list it as missing or pending. If the seller described an item or setting but you could not independently see it, label it as seller-provided information.
This distinction matters when memories fade. A note that separates visible evidence, received materials, and statements from either party gives future readers a fair account of the handover. It also avoids turning a simple record into an unsupported assessment of whether the account is fully ready for work.
Record the exact access path that worked
Write down the access steps that succeeded, in order, without recording secrets. For example, note which official sign-in page or platform interface was used, which account identity was selected, and whether access proceeded normally or showed a prompt. Describe the steps at a level that helps someone understand the handover, not at a level that exposes credentials or encourages bypassing a platform’s checks.
Record the result of each step in neutral language: “The platform displayed an identity confirmation prompt” or “The account overview opened after sign-in.” If a prompt appeared, preserve its visible wording in a screenshot where safe, or transcribe the relevant text accurately. Do not attempt to evade, suppress, or work around a platform’s verification or security process. If access cannot be completed through the platform’s normal flow, record that and pause to resolve it through appropriate channels.
A handover log is not a place to store passwords, authentication codes, recovery links, or private tokens. It should describe the path, not contain the keys. Keep any sensitive access material separate and handle it using a secure method agreed by the parties.
Include the seller’s replies
Save relevant seller messages alongside the delivery record. These may clarify what was included, when access was sent, which account identity was intended, or whether an item remains outstanding. Preserve enough context to make each message understandable, including its sender and timestamp, while avoiding unrelated conversation or unnecessary personal information.
Do not paraphrase a seller’s reply as if it were an observed platform fact. Mark it clearly as a message or statement from the seller. If there is a mismatch between a message and what is visible in the account, record both without deciding the issue in the log. A neutral note such as “Seller described the setting as enabled; the captured page did not show its status” is more useful than an accusation or a guess.
Keep replies in their original form where possible, such as an exported conversation or a screenshot that shows the relevant exchange. If you create a summary, retain the underlying message separately. Avoid editing message images in a way that changes meaning; redact only information that is not needed and could expose someone’s privacy or security.
Name and store files for later use
Choose filenames that explain what a record shows without revealing sensitive details. A practical format can include the platform, a brief page or event description, and the capture date and time. For example: Platform-account-overview-YYYY-MM-DD-timezone.png. Use the same naming pattern throughout, and avoid vague labels such as “final” or “newest” that may become confusing.
Keep a simple index in a text document or spreadsheet. For each file, note its filename, what it depicts, when it was captured, and whether it is a screenshot, receipt note, or seller message. The index should point to evidence, not repeat sensitive account information. If several files show related steps, order them clearly so another person can follow the handover without guessing.
Store the original files in a restricted folder and keep a separate working copy if you need to annotate or redact material. Avoid relying on a chat thread as the only archive: messages can be hard to search, lose context, or become unavailable. Check that the files open and that the folder remains accessible to the people responsible for the account.
Keep the log fair, limited and useful
A good day-zero record is concise, dated, and factual. It should help answer what was delivered, what was visible, which normal access steps worked, what the platform displayed, and what the seller communicated. It should not include unrelated personal data, secrets, speculative explanations, or instructions for avoiding platform controls.
Treat the record as a shared reference, not leverage. Give the seller a reasonable opportunity to clarify an omission or correct a factual detail, and preserve the original entry if you add an update. Note who made the update and when. This keeps the history transparent rather than silently rewriting the handover.
The purpose is documentation, not account testing. Capture only the state encountered during ordinary delivery and use the platform’s normal processes. With a clear folder, careful redaction, and neutral notes, both buyer and seller have a more dependable basis for resolving questions that arise later.