How do I show readers what they need before they start a set of instructions?

Add a brief “Before you begin” section between the introduction and the steps. Include information that affects whether someone can start or complete the task, grouped into useful categories:

• Prerequisites: something that must already be done.
• Materials or files: items readers need to have available.
• Access: accounts, permissions, locations, or resources they need.
• Prior knowledge: a skill or earlier instruction they must understand.

Ask whether readers need an item before taking the first step. If they do, list it here. If they will obtain, open, select, or prepare it as part of the process, explain that action at the point where it happens. For example, list a file that must already be available; if a step creates the file, keep that instruction in the sequence and say when readers will need it.

Be specific. Instead of “get everything ready,” name the item or condition, such as “Have the completed [form name] available.” Use a bracketed placeholder while drafting if you do not yet know the exact requirement; do not guess.

Present uncertain or variable details as things to confirm, not as facts that apply to everyone. Keep confirmed requirements distinct from checks. “Required: [permission or account]” signals a known requirement. “Check whether you need [permission]” tells readers to verify whether it applies.

For example: “Confirm that you can access [system or location] before starting. If you cannot, ask [role or team] how access is arranged.” Use a role or team as a placeholder until you know the right contact. If a requirement depends on the reader’s organization or situation, say so explicitly rather than presenting one assumption as universal.

If you cannot verify an important detail before publication, leave a clearly marked drafting placeholder such as “[confirm whether approval is required]” and resolve it before publishing. If readers themselves must check a variable requirement, say what to check and where or with whom to verify it. That gives them a next action without pretending the answer is known.

Make it a short decision point: can readers start now, and what should they do if the answer is no? Confirm the essentials together, then direct readers to the missing prerequisite or a person who can clarify it. Avoid a bare “Ready?” unless readers can tell what “ready” means.

Here’s a reusable template. Replace the bracketed text with verified details:

Before you begin

• Prerequisite: [What must already be complete]
• Materials or files: [What the reader needs, with a useful identifier]
• Access: [What account, location, permission, or resource is needed—or what to confirm]
• Prior knowledge: [Any skill or earlier instruction the reader must understand]
• Confirm first: [Any detail that varies by reader and how to check it]

Ready to start? Confirm that [key prerequisite] is complete, [required materials or file] is available, and [needed access or knowledge] is in place. If anything is missing or uncertain, [specific next action or role to ask] before continuing.

Suppose the instructions explain how to submit a project update in an internal workspace. These details are illustrative assumptions, not requirements for any actual process:

Before you begin

• Prerequisite: The project update has been reviewed by [reviewer or role], if review is required for your team.
• Materials or files: Have the update text and any attachment you plan to include.
• Access: Confirm that you can open [workspace name] and reach [submission area].
• Prior knowledge: Know which project the update belongs to.
• Confirm first: Check whether your team uses a required format or approval step.

Ready to start? You have the update and any attachment, can reach the correct submission area, and know whether your team requires review or a specific format. If anything is unclear, check with [team or role] before following the steps.

The example keeps review and format conditional rather than declaring them mandatory. In your own instructions, include enough detail for readers to identify the exact item, access, or knowledge they need. Add conditions when they change whether or how someone should proceed. Move background explanation to the relevant step or a separate note. Label optional items clearly, and repeat a brief reminder in a step only when it helps prevent confusion.