Reconcile the brief's included list against the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram's included count, then trace every brief source back to a screened record and flag any source absent from the flow before release.
PRISMA 2020 supplies a checklist and flow diagrams for reporting what studies were found and included, so the diagram's counts and the brief's source list describe the same set of studies. The audit works by matching records across three stages.
- Populate the flow diagram fields with your identified, screened, and included counts, and confirm that the included count equals the number of records you carried forward. Expected result: a single included total you can compare against the brief.
- List every source cited in the brief and match each one to a record in the included list. Expected result: each brief source has a matching included record, and each included record is either cited or marked as background.
- Flag any brief source with no matching included record, and any included record absent from the brief. Expected result: a short discrepancy list rather than a silent gap.
- Resolve each flag before release by correcting the count, adding the missing record to the flow, or removing the source from the brief. Expected result: the brief's included sources and the flow's included count agree.
Documenting searches and managing records, as described in the Cochrane Handbook's guidance on searching for and selecting studies, gives the audit a traceable trail from search to inclusion. When a source cannot be matched, treat the discrepancy as unresolved and check the record against the search and screening notes before deciding which side to correct.