“I did not find it” is a search result. “It is missing” is a stronger claim that requires a defined expected set and a documented search across the locations where the record should exist.
Record the expected source
Why should the item exist? The expectation may come from a production index, an email attachment reference, a numbering sequence, a retention schedule, a transaction entry, or an agency statement.
Record every location checked
- Original delivery folder and archive
- Cloud or case-management storage
- Alternate filenames and naming variants
- Related request productions
- Official public posting or agency portal
Use a precise status
Useful statuses include not yet searched, not located locally, located in alternate storage, inaccessible, expected but unproduced, and unresolved. This vocabulary keeps the open proof work visible.