Handover minutes (BAST): parts, example and how to file them

In Indonesia, a company records a handover in a document called a berita acara serah terima, or BAST, which is a signed record of the minutes of the handover. It states that something moved from one party to another at a particular time. The thing handed over can be finished work, goods, documents or system access. This guide explains the parts of a BAST, gives an example with placeholders you can adapt, and then covers numbering, signing and filing.

There is no single mandatory BAST format for companies. The parts and the example below are common practice, so adapt them to your contract and internal policy. Handovers in government procurement follow their own rules and are not covered here.

When a BAST is used

A BAST is usually made at the moment responsibility moves. Common situations include these:

• Project work is finished and handed to the client, for example a construction result, a software build or a consulting deliverable.
• Goods pass from a supplier to a buyer, or from one unit of a company to another.
• An employee who is moving or leaving hands over assets, documents and access to a successor.
• Documents or archives are moved from one unit to another, or to a third party that stores them.

In every case the BAST answers the same questions: what was handed over, when, in what condition, and who received it. These questions often come back months later, for example when the final milestone payment is invoiced or when a delivered item is disputed.

BAST and other delivery documents

A BAST does not replace a delivery note or an invoice, because each records something different. A delivery note records the goods sent, an invoice records the amount billed, and a BAST records that the receiver accepted the object and the condition it was in. Other documents therefore often refer to the BAST, for example when a contract makes it a condition for billing the last milestone. Whether a BAST is needed for billing is decided by your own contract.

Parts of a BAST

The structure below is enough for most handovers.

The condition section is the one most often skipped, and it is also the most useful. If a minor shortfall is accepted on the condition that it gets fixed, write down what it is and the fix-by date, so nobody has to argue about it later.

Example BAST

This is an example outline with placeholders in square brackets. It is an illustration and not a downloadable file, so copy the structure and adjust it to your contract.

HANDOVER MINUTES (BAST) FOR [WORK OR GOODS TITLE]
Number: [BAST number]

On [day], [date] [month] [year], at [location], the undersigned:

1. [Name], [position] at [company name], located at [address],
   acting for and on behalf of the company under
   [basis of authority], hereinafter the FIRST PARTY.
2. [Name], [position] at [company name], located at [address],
   acting for and on behalf of the company under
   [basis of authority], hereinafter the SECOND PARTY.

Basis of handover: [contract / work order / PO number and date].

The FIRST PARTY hands over to the SECOND PARTY, and the SECOND PARTY
receives from the FIRST PARTY, the following:
   a. [object 1, quantity, specification]
   b. [object 2, quantity, specification]

Condition at handover:
   [good and complete / shortfalls with the deadline to fix them]

Attachments: [list of attachments, or "none"]

These minutes are made in [number] copies and signed by both parties
on the date stated above.

FIRST PARTY                         SECOND PARTY
[printed name]                      [printed name]
[position]                          [position]

Witness (if any): [name, position]

For other kinds of minutes, such as meetings, goods inspections and archive destruction, see the guide with more examples of minutes.

From preparation to filing

1. Prepare. The party handing over drafts the BAST from a template and fills in the contract data, the object and the attachments.
2. Check. Both parties compare the BAST with the real condition on site or in the warehouse. Shortfalls are written down before anyone signs.
3. Both parties sign. The signers are the people authorised to represent each company.
4. Number. The BAST receives a number from the series you have set.
5. File next to the contract. The final copy is stored in the same folder as the contract or the project.

You can swap numbering and signing to match your company's habit. What matters is that the number is already on the document that gets signed, and that everyone uses the same order.

Numbering a BAST

A BAST should carry a number like any other company letter, so that invoices, reports and contracts can refer to it. There are two common options. One is to use the company letter series with its own type code, for example 014/BAST/PRJ/X/2026. The other is a dedicated BAST series per project, for example BAST-001/PRJ-ALFA/2026. The components of a number, the order they are written in and the handling of cancelled numbers are covered in the guide to company letter numbering formats.

Signing and copies

Each party usually keeps one signed original. The number of copies goes in the closing sentence, and the company can add one for its internal archive. Signatures can be wet-ink or electronic, as long as both parties agree and your company policy allows it. The difference between electronic and digital signatures is explained in the guide to electronic vs digital signatures, and the steps for signing a PDF are in the guide to signing a PDF digitally.

If a representative signs for the company, make sure that person is authorised. State the basis of their authority in the parties section, for example a power of attorney or the company's deed.

Filing a BAST next to the contract

A BAST supports the contract, so it belongs next to the contract and its addenda, not in a general letters folder. A few habits help:

• Keep the signed file as a PDF, with a name that contains the BAST number and the project name.
• Keep attachments, such as photos and item lists, in the same folder as the BAST.
• Record the BAST number in the project register or the contract notes, so it is visible that the handover obligation has been met.
• If the contract changes through an addendum, refer to the version in force at the time of handover. The guide to contract addenda shows how to keep track.
• Follow your retention schedule to decide how long the BAST is kept. The general picture is in the guide to how long to keep company documents.

Common mistakes

• The object is described too loosely, for example "work as per contract", so it is unclear what was actually handed over.
• The condition section is left empty even though there are shortfalls that were agreed to be fixed.
• The contract number or date is missing, so the BAST is hard to link to its basis.
• It is signed by someone who is not authorised to represent the company.
• Attachments are mentioned in the body but not stored with it.
• The final file stays on the drafter's laptop and never reaches the contract folder.

How Obscura helps

A template in Obscura lets you build every BAST from the same outline. The template produces a form for fields such as the contract number, the parties and the object, and you can check the rendered result before the document is created. The destination folder and classification can be set on the template too, so a new document lands in the right place from the start.

For approval and signing, the document follows an approval route that you set per position. An outside party, such as the client's representative, can sign as one step in the route without creating an Obscura account. Certified signing runs through a connected PSrE provider. Without that provider, Obscura uses its own internal certificate authority, which is not PSrE-certified.

For numbering, the Correspondence module can give an official number to an existing document, and an issued number cannot be changed. On a project, the BAST can be linked to its contract on the project map with a label such as Evidence for, so the contract and its proof of handover show up together. The details are on the pages for Correspondence, Templates and construction project documents.