Under USPAP, may an appraiser create a new workfile after transmitting the report to the client?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only with client consent
• D. Only for certain assignments

Answer: (B)

Under USPAP, the workfile is the documentary record that supports the appraisal or appraisal review opinion and must be prepared and retained for each assignment. It should be complete and ready by the time the report is transmitted to the client, containing all data, analyses, and reasoning that support the conclusions. Creating a new workfile after the report has already been sent would document the development of the opinion after the fact, which conflicts with the requirement to have a complete, contemporaneous record at the time of the report. If new information emerges after transmission, the proper path is to issue a revised or additional report and update the workfile accordingly, not to generate a new post-transmission workfile for the original assignment.