Portfolio research and capital planning · Field guide · October 9, 2026
Keep a decision-focused investment question log
A review meeting becomes more useful when unresolved questions have owners and evidence requirements. Write questions that can be answered with a document, calculation or explicit decision. Preserve answers and source references so the same issue is not repeatedly reopened without new information.
Evidence to assemble
Gather the source records before completing the worksheet. A missing record should remain an open question. Keep the original alongside any summary so the next person can trace the decision.
| Input | Record with it |
|---|---|
| Current model | Record the source, document date, reviewer and unresolved question. |
| Prior review notes | Record the source, document date, reviewer and unresolved question. |
| Evidence register | Record the source, document date, reviewer and unresolved question. |
| Next decision deadline | Record the source, document date, reviewer and unresolved question. |
Work through the decision
- Write one decision-relevant question per row.
- Name the evidence needed.
- Assign a response owner.
- Record the answer and its effect on the model.
For each action, name the person responsible for preparing the response and the person who approves it. Record what evidence would close the item. If new information changes cost, timing or scope, update the affected plan and identify who needs the revised version.
Common failure to avoid
A question such as “is this a good deal?” is too broad to close. Break it into the assumptions and tradeoffs the owner actually needs to assess.
Worked example
In an illustrative review, a question about operating cost becomes a request for the current management fee base and add-on schedule. The answer is linked to the cost model before the next owner decision.
This is an illustrative workflow, not a client case study or a forecast. Replace the example’s facts with the records for your own project.
Complete your planning worksheet
Use the fields to connect evidence, action and approval. Your entries stay in this page and are included only when you choose to download them. They are not sent to a server and are not saved after a page reload.
Close the handoff
A finished worksheet should identify the result, its evidence and any remaining owner. If the result is uncertain, record the next action instead of marking the whole task complete. Keep the worksheet with the relevant source file and tell the receiving person which version applies.