> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.filed.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.filed.com/reference/products/binder/missing-documents-tracking.md).

# Missing documents tracking

## How Filed knows what's missing

Filed builds the missing-documents checklist by comparing what's been uploaded this year against the client's prior-year return. If a document type appeared last year - a K-1 from a specific partnership, a 1099 from a specific brokerage - and no equivalent has been uploaded this year, Filed lists it as expected but not yet received. This is why the checklist requires a prior-year return to be meaningful: without one, Filed has nothing to compare against.

This is the same comparison engine described in [How Filed compares current-year values against prior year](/reference/products/ai-review/prior-year-comparison.md); the missing-documents checklist is simply the "not yet uploaded" output of that comparison, surfaced during AI Tax Prep rather than later during review.

## Where the checklist appears

The checklist sits at the top of the Docs tab's document tree, with an amber count badge when items are still open and a green checkmark once everything is accounted for. Clicking it opens the panel in the center, where each item shows the expected form type, the issuer where known, and an AI-generated explanation of why it's expected. See [The missing-documents checklist](/reference/products/binder/organizing-documents.md#the-missing-documents-checklist).

The same information also appears in AI Tax Prep's Pre-Entry Notes before any data entry happens - see [Missing documents](/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/pre-entry-notes-tab.md#missing-documents), including the summary line "Based on prior year return the client is missing documentation for X / Y items."

## Resolving a missing-document item

Each item supports **Upload** (add the file directly from the panel) and **Dismiss** (mark it as not applicable to this year, without uploading anything). Dismissed items can be restored. See [Marking document dispositions](/reference/products/binder/marking-document-dispositions.md) for how to record *why* an item was dismissed - final K-1, extended, no longer applicable - since the dismiss action itself doesn't currently capture a reason.

## Why a first-year client won't have a missing-documents checklist

Without a prior-year return on file, Filed has no baseline to compare against, so the checklist will be empty regardless of how complete the current year's documents actually are. This isn't a sign that everything has been uploaded - it means the comparison simply couldn't run. Import or upload a prior-year return for the client if one exists, so future returns get the benefit of this check.


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