Press-on nail set condition and completeness checklist

Before a press-on set goes back into your collection, compare the pieces in hand against a record of what the set should contain. Then log each piece as present, missing or unidentified, and note any visible damage in plain words. The checklist below does exactly that. It needs one thing to work: a reference for the expected contents, such as an earlier photo of the full set or a contents record. If you have no reference, you can still log condition, but mark the completeness result as "completeness unverified" instead of guessing.

This check-in only records the state of the set. Deciding whether a piece can be reused, repaired or retired is a separate step. That step should follow the inspection and reuse directions from the set's maker.

What to gather before you start

• The set's name or reference label, so the record matches the right set in your collection
• Today's date for the check date field
• Your contents reference: an existing photo of the complete set, a contents record or another list showing which pieces belong to it
• The set's own piece identifiers, if it uses any, such as printed size numbers or labels
• A clean, flat surface where every piece can be laid out and matched to the reference
• A phone or camera if you want to photograph pieces with visible observations

Check-in template

Copy this into a notes app, spreadsheet or printed sheet. The header covers the whole set, the piece rows cover individual nails, and the summary closes out the check.

SET CHECK-IN RECORD

Set reference: ____________________
Check date: ____________________
Contents reference used: [ ] set photo  [ ] contents record  [ ] other: ________  [ ] none available

PIECE WORKSHEET
Piece ID | Expected per reference (Y/N) | Status (present / missing / unidentified) | Visible observation | Photo ref
-------- | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ---------
         |                              |                                           |                     |
         |                              |                                           |                     |

EXTRA OR UNIDENTIFIED PIECES (keep separate)
Description | Visible observation | Photo ref
----------- | ------------------- | ---------
            |                     |

SUMMARY
Expected pieces: ____   Present: ____   Missing: ____
Missing piece IDs: ____________________
Completeness result: [ ] complete  [ ] incomplete  [ ] completeness unverified

Maker's inspection / reuse instructions on file: [ ] yes  [ ] no
Where they are kept: ____________________
Unresolved product-specific questions: ____________________

What each worksheet column means

Column	What to enter
Piece ID	The set's existing identifier when it has one; otherwise a label you assign and keep using, such as a position in your reference photo
Expected per reference	Whether your contents reference shows this piece as part of the set
Status	Present if it is in hand and matches the reference; missing if the reference lists it and you cannot find it; unidentified if a piece is in hand but cannot be matched
Visible observation	A short factual description of what you can see, or "no visible damage observed"
Photo ref	The file name or number of any photo taken of that piece

How to run the inspection

• 1. Fill in the header: set reference, check date and which contents reference you are using.
• 2. Lay the pieces out so each one can be matched against the reference, in the same order or arrangement if possible.
• 3. Work through the reference piece by piece and record each expected identifier's status individually. Do not just count the total.
• 4. Look at each present piece and describe anything visible, such as a crack, a chipped edge, a shape that differs from the reference, or a missing decoration like a stone or charm.
• 5. Write "no visible damage observed" for pieces with nothing to note, so a blank cell is never mistaken for a skipped check.
• 6. Move any piece you cannot match to the extra or unidentified section.
• 7. Photograph pieces with observations and enter the photo reference in their row.
• 8. Complete the summary.

Writing visible observations

Describe what you see, not what it means. "Hairline crack near free edge" or "one rhinestone missing from center" is useful later. "Ruined" or "still fine to wear" is a reuse judgment, and that belongs to the next step. Note where on the piece the issue is, since location can matter when you later read the maker's repair or reuse guidance.

Deciding the completeness result

• Complete: every piece the reference lists is accounted for as present.
• Incomplete: one or more expected pieces are missing. List each missing identifier individually in the summary.
• Completeness unverified: no reliable contents reference was available, so expected contents cannot be confirmed.

Keep extra or unidentified pieces in their own section. An extra piece does not cancel out a missing one. Counting them together can make an incomplete set look complete.

Illustrative example

Hypothetical: your reference lists 12 pieces. You find 11 of the expected pieces, so 1 is missing, and you list its identifier in the summary. You also find a 13th piece you cannot match to the reference. It goes in the extra or unidentified section with its own description. The result is "incomplete" because the missing identifier is still unresolved, even though the piece count in hand is 12.

Filing the record and next steps

Store the completed worksheet with that set's collection record so the next check-in has a fresh reference to compare against. Use the instructions field to note whether you have the maker's inspection or reuse directions and where they are kept. Write down any product-specific question the inspection raised, such as whether a particular kind of damage affects reuse. Answer it from the maker's directions before you choose a reuse or repair procedure for any piece.