Introduction: The Hidden Risk after Project Handover
In complex industries like energy, utilities, and mining, the handover from capital project to operations is a critical moment. Assets shift from development into live use. Documentation is finalized. Control is, in theory, transferred.
But in practice, something gets lost.
At Assai, we’ve spent decades helping organizations manage the shift from capital projects into live operations, and we’ve seen the same scenario play out:
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USBs or shared drives with thousands of files, each with its own naming logic.
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Operations teams spending weeks searching for the right drawing – only to find it’s outdated.
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Maintenance leads unable to trust the systems left behind.
This isn’t just a documentation problem. It’s an operational vulnerability.
We call it the “handover gap” – and if it’s not addressed, efficiency, safety, and decision-making all suffer.
Why the Handover Gap Happens
Most handovers meet the formalities: closeout packages are assembled, documents are marked as final, and ownership shifts.
The problem? These efforts focus on delivery, not usability.
Once project-specific tools are switched off – along with workflows, audit trails, and naming conventions – the control structure disappears. Documents are archived, not actively managed. Metadata is stripped. Over time, the operational environment drifts from the documented reality of the asset.
Even with frameworks like CFIHOS providing guidance, continuity depends on how well that structure is sustained in daily operations – not just what gets handed over.
The Cost of Disconnection
When document control ends at handover, the impact shows up fast.
- Field teams rely on memory instead of accurate documentation.
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Maintenance loses confidence in design intent.
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Audits turn into last-minute recoveries.
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Safety risks increase as outdated information is used in the field.
This erosion of trust doesn’t happen overnight – it’s a slow breakdown where good teams are forced into inefficient, high-risk workarounds.
What Continuity Looks Like in Practice
Organizations that bridge the handover gap focus on three things:
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Carry forward relevant project-phase systems where needed, without relying on them entirely.
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Maintain a single source of truth – accessible, searchable, and reliable.
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Provide documentation in context – in the field, during reviews, and for compliance.
This approach doesn’t remove complexity. It structures it.
And Assai enables exactly this – ensuring control structures survive the transition so your teams can trust, trace, and act with confidence.
How to Maintain Document Control After Project Handover
Ensuring continuity starts with understanding how teams use information once the project is complete.
Best practices include:
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Retaining version history so changes are traceable.
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Maintaining metadata and governance rules from project into operations.
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Integrating with operational systems like SAP or Maximo to avoid manual workarounds.
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Providing easy but controlled access for all operational teams.
With Assai, these aren’t just recommendations – they’re built into the platform:
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Full version control and audit trail retained beyond project closeout.
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Metadata and governance rules carried forward without loss.
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Seamless integration with operational platforms for smooth workflows.
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Secure, role-based access ensuring the right people have the right information at the right time.
Key Questions to Ask Before Handover
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Do our operations teams trust the documentation they use?
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Are we confident in what’s current, approved, and outdated?
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Can we trace every decision and revision from project through to today?
If the answer is unclear, the handover gap may already be there – and Assai can help close it.
How Assai Closes the Handover Gap
Assai specializes in carrying control, clarity, and confidence from project closeout into long-term operations.
We do this by:
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Protecting document integrity through full lifecycle version control.
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Maintaining traceability from project decisions to current operational reality.
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Ensuring usability by making documentation accessible in the right context.
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Integrating with your operational tools to eliminate duplication and manual errors.
With Assai, the structure your project teams rely on doesn’t vanish at handover -it evolves to support your operations for years to come.
Final Thought & Next Step
Industry frameworks like CFIHOS define what good handover looks like. But definitions alone don’t sustain document control – systems and processes do.
That’s why organizations turn to Assai: to make sure document control survives handover, so operational teams always work from trusted, up-to-date information.
Book a 20-Minute Handover Gap Assessment
Let’s identify where your documentation continuity is at risk – and show you exactly how Assai can close the gap before it impacts performance.