Separate line it is. The return check was too focused on the expensive-looking bit. I'll make a place for the plate in the record and ask tooling how they want the physical one marked.

I'd show the missing plate against the kit as well as its own line. Then stores can count the returned gripper without accidentally presenting the whole kit as ready to issue.

Thanks, that helps. The plate isn't lost, just not positively identified. Would you say 'awaiting identification' against the kit rather than 'missing'? Don't want to send someone searching again.

Yes, with the plate's location. The kit is still incomplete until tooling confirms that plate belongs to it. Found and identified are separate steps here.

What if someone wants to borrow only the identified gripper for a separate job? I'd still want the incomplete kit visible, without treating every item in the case as unidentified.

I would record that as a separate issue of the identified item, subject to the normal approval for the other job. The original kit must still show what it lacks.

And do not mark the whole case as issued complete just to make that loan easier.