Practical checklist
What this article covers
A practical coverage register with location, obstruction, missing evidence and client decision; no fabricated tolerance.
Before modeling a required area, check whether the supplied evidence supports that area and the intended task. Record what is observable, what is not established and who must decide the next step.
A coverage gap is not automatically proof of a scanner fault, an inaccessible space or an absent physical object. This proposed register keeps observation separate from explanation.
Locate the gap precisely
Identify the dataset, capture date if available, model or drawing location and viewing conditions. Save a reference to the relevant view or evidence excerpt using the project's approved storage arrangement.
Autodesk documents point-cloud visibility controls and sectioning in Revit. Before labeling data missing, have the responsible operator check whether the current display is hiding or cutting it. This is a diagnostic question, not permission to alter the production reference.
Keep a coverage register tied to use
| Field | Recommended entry |
|---|---|
| Gap ID | Stable reference linked to a location |
| Required evidence | Surface or feature needed for the assigned task |
| Observation | What the supplied dataset actually shows |
| Possible explanation | Suspected cause, explicitly unconfirmed when uncertain |
| Affected use | Drawing or modeling task depending on the missing support |
| Access limits | Known restrictions supplied by the site or survey lead |
| Decision owner | Person authorized to arrange clarification or follow-up |
| Resolution | New evidence, revised scope or recorded use limitation |
For its MLX system, NavVis's quality-map checklist treats trajectory checks, area coverage and panorama distribution as separate checks. Do not convert one vendor's indicators into a universal percentage-based acceptance rule.
Hypothetical example: the display does not establish a wall return
In this fictional interior package, the available view shows the front of a reception wall but does not establish the return behind a freestanding display. The modeler records the location and asks the survey lead whether other supplied observations cover it.
The log says “return not established in the reviewed data,” not “wall missing” or “scanner failed.” It also identifies the interior-elevation task that depends on the answer.
The authorized lead might supply existing evidence, arrange permitted follow-up or revise the assigned scope. Until then, the modeler should not invent the return from a similar room. Site access and safe investigation remain the responsibility of the appropriate project team.
Separate scope decisions from evidence limitations
A deliberate omission belongs in the modeling exclusions schedule. An in-scope feature with insufficient evidence remains an open evidence question unless the responsible team records another permissible treatment.
Do not label an excluded or obstructed item low risk merely because it is hard to inspect. Nor should a whole-project density figure replace checking the locations on which the deliverable depends.
Review again when the evidence changes
When new data arrives, record its identity, the affected gap IDs and the review result. Preserve the original observation so a later recipient can understand the change.
Carry unresolved limitations into the model acceptance checklist. Nest's scan-to-BIM brief guide helps frame the assignment, while its scan-to-BIM service page provides a route to discuss production scope and available inputs.
Related guides and services
Keep the production handoff connected to the wider workflow:
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