A requirement is only Ready when every required evidence slot is linked and every required role is assigned. If the requirement defines multiple evidence slots or several roles, filling only one of them leaves the requirement in In Progress. Open the requirement detail and check the indicator cluster to see which slots or roles are still missing.
Understand setup gaps in a standard
When a standard is in the Adopting state, the detail page shows a setup progress summary and requirement-level indicators that tell you exactly what is still needed before the standard can be activated. The labels and indicators cover missing evidence, unassigned roles, and incomplete configuration so you can see at a glance which requirements still need attention and why.
Where setup progress appears
Open the standard from the Our Standards list and go to the detail page. While the standard is still being adopted, the progress summary card shows a ring labelled ready and a set of numeric metrics.
Setup Gaps — requirements that still need attention. The sublabel reads Need attention.
Not Started — requirements that have not yet been configured. The sublabel reads Needs setup.
In Progress — requirements that are partially configured. The sublabel reads Partially configured.
Ready — requirements that are fully configured. The sublabel reads Configured.
The standard cannot be activated until every in-scope requirement is in the Ready state.
How to read requirement-level indicators
Below the progress summary, the Requirements card shows the requirement tree. Each trackable requirement row displays a cluster of status indicators that summarise the gap state for that requirement.
When a requirement is not yet ready, the indicators highlight which setup items are missing. Common gap indicators include:
Missing required evidence slots — the requirement expects linked documents, distributions, risk assessments, work schedules, files, or manual confirmations, but one or more slots are not yet filled.
Unassigned roles — the requirement defines an owner or other accountability role, but no one is currently assigned.
Incomplete attestation — the requirement expects a periodic review interval, but the review schedule has not been configured.
Requirements that are out of scope for the site are visually de-emphasised and do not affect the readiness score.
Clear a setup gap
Open the standard detail page and review the progress summary to see how many requirements have setup gaps.
Expand the Requirements tree and look for rows that show gap indicators.
Select a requirement that shows a gap. The requirement detail panel opens.
Check the Evidence section. If required evidence slots are open, click Add Evidence, choose the evidence type, and complete the link. For a full walkthrough of linking evidence, see Link Evidence to a Standard.
Check the Roles section. If a required role is not assigned, open the role assignment form and select a user or a named site role. For details on how roles cascade and how to set a default owner, see Roles and Owners in Standards.
If the requirement shows an attestation gap, set the review interval and assign reviewers. For more on configuring requirements, see Configure Standard Requirements.
Return to the standard detail page. The requirement indicator updates automatically once the missing setup item is resolved. When every requirement is Ready, the progress summary shows the standard as fully configured and it can be activated.
Gap labels at the organisation level
Organisation administrators who manage the Organisation Standards Policy see a different set of labels that track adoption across sites. When a mandatory policy is active, the sidebar progress legend uses Gap instead of Missing to highlight sites that are required to adopt the standard but have not yet done so. This organisation-level gap is separate from the requirement-level setup gaps shown during adoption. For more on mandatory policy and rollout labels, see Organisation Standards Policy.
Common questions
Why is a requirement still showing In Progress after I linked evidence?
Can a standard be activated if some requirements are Out of Scope?
Yes. Requirements that are out of scope for the site are excluded from the readiness count and do not block activation. Only the requirements that are in scope must be Ready before the standard can be activated.
Who can fix setup gaps?
Managers and Admins for the Standards module can link evidence, assign roles, and configure requirements. If you do not see the Add Evidence or role assignment controls, verify your site role in Settings or ask your administrator.
Related topics
Configure Standard Requirements — how to set evidence, roles, and attestation for each requirement.
Link Evidence to a Standard — how to connect documents, distributions, and other records to requirements.
Roles and Owners in Standards — how to assign owners and use site roles.
Understanding Compliance in Standards — how the programme moves from adopting to active and how compliance health is calculated.
Adopt a Standard at This Site — the full adoption workflow from adoption through activation.
Mark a requirement as in scope or out of scope — how to change whether a requirement applies to your site.