Audio Prep for Post: Biggest Beginner Mistakes (Alts, Metadata, Delivery)?

Hey fellow editors,

Rachel here, a documentary editor grappling with some workflows. I’ve been cutting non-fiction for a few years now, typically working with footage from a LUMIX S1H or FX3, often with MKH 50s and Track Es capturing our sound on location. We try to be meticulous, getting wild lines and room tone, and ensuring our sound recordists are logging notes.

But thinking back to when I was starting out, I know there were probably things I missed or mishandled regarding the production audio handoff to post. I'm trying to mentor a new assistant editor, and I want to give them the best advice.

For those of you with more mileage, thinking back to your early days, what was the single most common mistake you made regarding prepping production audio for post? Specifically, around 'Alts' (alternate takes/mics), 'Metadata' (logging, naming conventions), or 'Delivery' (file structures, consolidations)? And what's the one piece of advice you’d give a beginner to help them avoid that pitfall?