Check

A check is a plain question asked about a step’s result, such as whether every number is in the document. A failed check sends the step through again, stops the workflow or flags the problem.

The step

A step hands back its work.

In a Real Template

This template has a check after step 1 and a check on the finished lists. The first is a plain rule; the second is a second look by the AI.

A check on step 1

Every item quotes its note

A check on the finished lists

Nothing was added that is not in the notes

The question it asks

Does every decision, action, owner, date and question come from the notes, with nothing added or changed?

What to notice: Each check is a question with a yes or no answer, so it can fail. The first can be run by a plain rule with no AI at all: a quoted line either is in the notes or is not.

From the template Turn meeting notes into decisions and actions.

Easy to Mix Up

A scoring guideA check asks one question about one result. A scoring guide lists every check as a row, so a run can be marked.
A person lookingThe check only a person can make, such as whether a summary is fair. It comes after the automatic checks.
A hand-offA check can read a hand-off, for example to see that every column is there, but the hand-off is the thing checked.

Go Deeper

Lesson 4: ChecksPick the kind of check for four jobs.Checks that can failPlant a mistake to prove a check works.The kinds of checksFour kinds, each with a small sample.