Start with the agreed handover record
Treat a business portfolio handover as a review of a working tool, not as a quick acceptance of whatever appears on screen. Before changing access or accepting requests, obtain the seller’s written description of what is being transferred, what will remain with them, and what is excluded. Use the channel agreed for the transaction so that questions and answers remain easy to review.
The description should identify the portfolio and each asset that is meant to move. Depending on the setup, assets may include business pages, advertising accounts, data sources, catalogs, applications, domains, or other connected resources. The seller should also state which assets they retain, which people or partners are expected to keep access, and whether any requests or invitations are still waiting for a response.
Do not treat a seller’s description as proof that the portfolio contains those items. Verify it in the platform itself. Likewise, do not assume that a visible asset is included in the handover: it may belong to another business or be shared only for a limited purpose. If the platform is Meta Business Portfolio, review the portfolio and its asset and people settings through Meta’s own interface. Screen labels and layouts can change, so follow the current interface rather than relying on a memorized path.
Open the correct portfolio and check its identity
Sign in using your own legitimate account and open the business portfolio that the seller identified. Check that you are looking at the intended business, rather than a personal profile, a different portfolio, or a separate business space you already manage. Compare the displayed business identity with the details in the seller’s written description. If anything does not match, pause and ask the seller to clarify through the agreed channel.
Pay attention to what your own account can actually see and do. A portfolio may appear in a list while your role is limited, or you may be able to view some settings without having control of the business or its assets. Do not infer that you have full administrative authority merely because the portfolio opens.
Record the portfolio name and the access level shown for your account, using a private handover note. Avoid copying sensitive login details into that note. If the platform does not make the current role clear, check its official help information or ask the seller to explain the access they intended to grant. Do not use another person’s credentials or identity to gain entry.
Inventory every asset shown
Next, review the portfolio’s asset area. Look through each available category, not only the asset the seller emphasized. The visible categories depend on the portfolio’s setup and the permissions granted to you. Check the names and identifiers displayed for each item, and compare them with the seller’s written list.
For each asset, note whether it is present, whether it appears to be owned by the portfolio or shared with it, and what access your account has. Where the interface distinguishes between ownership and access, preserve that distinction in your notes. Being able to work with an asset does not necessarily mean the portfolio owns it or can transfer it.
A simple inventory can use these fields:
- Asset name and type as displayed
- Whether it is included, excluded, or unclear
- Whether it appears owned or shared
- Your visible access level
- Any mismatch or follow-up question
Do not fill gaps by guessing. An asset that is absent may not have been transferred, may be held in another portfolio, or may simply be outside your permissions. Ask the seller to explain the discrepancy. If ownership or transfer status remains unclear, consult the platform’s official guidance before treating the item as yours.
Review people, roles and partner access
Open the people or access area and list the individuals associated with the portfolio. For each person, record the role or permissions shown, whether they appear to have portfolio-level access or access to particular assets, and whether the seller’s description says that access should continue. Review business partners or other organizations separately if the interface lists them separately from individual people.
Compare the list with the handover agreement. Your review should answer practical questions: Who is expected to administer the portfolio after the handover? Which people need access for ongoing work? Are any former workers, contractors, or seller-side contacts still listed? Does anyone have broad permissions that the written description does not explain?
A name you do not recognize is a reason to ask, not a reason to make an assumption about that person. Likewise, do not remove or downgrade access until you understand whether it is required for a service, a shared asset, or a transition the seller has agreed to support. If the seller is meant to retain access, ask them to state the purpose and scope in writing. If they are not, raise the remaining access through the agreed channel and follow the platform’s official process for changing roles or transferring control. Never conceal the relationship between accounts or use a false identity to alter access.
Find invitations and requests that are still waiting
Review the portfolio’s requests, invitations, or pending-access areas. The exact wording and location can vary. Look for entries marked as awaiting a response, pending, or otherwise incomplete, and inspect both requests coming into the portfolio and invitations sent from it where those are shown.
An invitation that has not been accepted is not the same as completed access. It may still be waiting for the intended person to respond, may have been sent to an address the seller described, or may refer to an asset that is not part of the agreed handover. Record the displayed recipient, the asset or role involved, the direction of the request, and its current status. Do not accept or cancel an entry simply to make the screen look tidy.
Compare every pending item with the seller’s written account. Ask who initiated it, why it exists, who should respond, and whether it should remain open. If an invitation is intended for you, confirm that it was sent to the correct account and that the requested access matches the agreement. If it is intended for someone else, get written clarification before taking action. Use the platform’s official interface and help channels to resolve items that cannot be safely identified.
Compare the screen with the seller’s description
Once you have reviewed assets, people, roles, and pending items, compare the full picture against the written handover description. Work through it item by item rather than relying on an overall impression. Mark each entry as confirmed, missing, different, or unresolved.
Focus especially on the boundary between what stays with the seller and what moves to you. Ask the seller to confirm in writing which assets remain theirs, which are transferred, which are merely shared, and which people or partners will retain access. Clarify any dependency that could affect your ability to use an asset, such as access being provided through another business or a person who is expected to remain involved.
A concise discrepancy message is more useful than a vague objection. Identify the screen area and item, describe what the platform currently shows, and ask what outcome was intended. Keep the reply with the handover record. If the seller’s statement conflicts with the platform’s status, do not treat the seller’s statement alone as proof of completion. Resolve the difference through the platform’s documented transfer or support process.
Confirm control without rushing changes
Before treating the handover as complete, check whether your account can perform the tasks agreed for the portfolio. The appropriate test depends on the role and the work the portfolio is meant to support. Confirm the visible permissions and access to the included assets without making unnecessary changes to campaigns, billing, ownership, or other settings.
If the seller still has access, compare that access with the written agreement. There may be a legitimate reason for a transition period, but it should be explicit and limited to the agreed purpose. If former-owner access was not agreed, raise it with the seller through the agreed channel and ask for it to be addressed using the platform’s official process. Do not try to bypass a platform restriction or remove a control in a way that conflicts with its rules.
If the interface indicates that an ownership transfer, confirmation, or other platform step remains incomplete, treat the handover as pending. Follow the relevant official instructions and keep the seller informed. Do not assume that accepting an invitation alone settles every ownership or access question. Current requirements and available actions should be checked on the platform’s own help and policy pages.
Record the result and close open questions
Create a final handover record that reflects what you actually verified. Include the portfolio identity, the assets reviewed, the roles and people shown, pending requests or invitations, and any differences from the seller’s description. For each unresolved issue, note who is responsible for answering it and whether the next step is with the seller or the platform.
Keep the record factual. Distinguish between “visible in the portfolio,” “access granted,” “shared,” and “ownership confirmed” rather than treating them as interchangeable. Note the date of your own review if useful for internal recordkeeping, but do not present it as proof that a platform transfer was completed. Store the record securely and avoid including passwords, authentication codes, or unnecessary personal information.
Close the handover only when the written description and the platform’s current state have been reconciled as far as the available permissions allow. If access, ownership, or a pending request remains uncertain, leave it marked as unresolved and seek clarification through the agreed channel or the platform’s official support and appeal routes. A careful record helps you manage the portfolio responsibly while keeping its use within the platform’s terms.