Shared files are not the same as controlled files
Why agencies get into trouble when handover is measured by what was shared instead of what is actually under control.
One of the most expensive mistakes in project handover is treating “shared” as if it means “under control”.
A file can be shared over email, dropped into a folder, or exposed through a temporary link while still leaving the agency dependent on the outgoing supplier for the real source, the live system, or the context behind it.
A file link exists.
The incoming team can reach the editable source, independently, in the place it is meant to live.
Something was delivered.
Someone has checked that it is current, usable, and complete.
Why this matters
Handover risk usually appears after a dependency is tested, not when a file is first shared.
That is why agencies need a better standard than “it was sent over”. They need to know whether the thing is reachable, controllable, and trusted.
Teams make the wrong call at the wrong moment because they mistake visibility for control.
That usually shows up during a deadline, a supplier exit, or the first change request after sign-off.
By then, the question is no longer whether the work was shared. It is whether the agency can actually move.
How Custody helps
Custody helps agencies turn handover into a visible record of what is missing, what is still externally held, and what has actually been verified.