IMPORTANT DOCUMENT LOCATION ENTRY
DearFile blank template

Complete with the owner's agreement in your own private note. Begin with
one existing document. Check the item itself and the intended person's
agreed next step. Make another entry for a copy with a different location,
holder, version, or access arrangement.

Document and who or what it concerns:

Version or identifying dates:

Original or copy, or status unknown:

Exact location:

Holder and checked contact route:

Intended reader and agreed next step:

Check performed, by whom and when:

Status and limits:

Unresolved item and next action:

Person responsible and follow-up date:

Next review trigger or date:

HELP WITH THE FIELDS

Version: use dates or other identifiers from the document. A filename that
says "final" is not enough to establish that it is current.

Location: include the room, cabinet, drawer, and actual folder label for
paper; the service, folder path, and filename for a digital copy; or the
firm, holder, and checked contact route for an externally held record.

Check performed: say what was actually checked, with whom, and when.
Finding a folder does not establish which version it contains or whether
the intended person can obtain it.

Status: use "Location and next step checked" only after identifying the
version and location and checking the intended person's permitted route.
For a professional-held record, explain any request and release steps
still required. This label is not a certification of validity or access.

For open questions, use one or more of:
[ ] Needs locating
[ ] Version needs checking
[ ] Access needs checking
[ ] Existence not confirmed
[ ] Does not apply: explain why

Follow-up: name the next action, who will do it, and a date to check back.
When resolved, record the result rather than simply deleting the question.

TRY THE ENTRY

Ask the intended reader to locate the named item or identify its holder
using the agreed route. If an extra explanation is needed, add it to the
entry. Record any obstacle, fix that step, and try again. There is no need
to submit a real request, share a record, or read unrelated documents.

KEEP IT PRIVATE

Leave out passwords, PINs, recovery codes, door codes, Social Security
numbers, full account numbers, and document copies. Ask before copying or
photographing someone else's records. Share only the entries each person
needs and check digital file and folder permissions. Knowing a location
does not grant authority to obtain records or act for their owner. Ask the
holder or a qualified professional about any requirements. Replace outdated
entries; updating this index is not a reason to discard original records.

General organizing guidance, not legal, financial, or medical advice.

Guide, completed example, and source links:
https://dearfile.com/blog/important-document-location-list

Official background:
CFPB: preparing records before a disaster or emergency
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/disasters-and-emergencies/get-prepared-before-disaster-emergency-strikes/
CFPB: what a power of attorney is
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-power-of-attorney-poa-en-1149/
FTC: protecting personal records
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-identity-theft