The application shows gaps — what they mean

The missing items list is the most important screen in the entire application. It shows what is needed for completeness and — more importantly — in what order to provide it.

Why the order matters

Missing items are ranked by the component’s mass share in the packaging. Unspecified cardboard accounting for eighty per cent of the mass is a problem of a different order from unspecified adhesive, which accounts for a fraction of a per cent. An alphabetical list would treat both equally.

Types of missing items

• Missing document — no evidence has been assigned to the component.
• Missing value — the document is present, but does not contain the required indication.
• Undocumented value — the number was entered manually, without supporting evidence.

An empty field is not zero

It is worth repeating this, because in a spreadsheet an empty cell is added up as zero and the balance appears correct, even though nobody has tested anything. In the application, a missing item remains missing: the sum of four metals for an unspecified item is not shown as zero, but as a dash.