Ducks in a Row
To have everything organized before proceeding. Waterfowl-based preparedness. The ducks are never fully in a row; the row is aspirational.
Heard in the wild
“Get your ducks in a row before the audit — permits, logs, training records.”
Tone check: Cliché
Harmless. 'While we get our ducks in a row' is also a classic stalling phrase — check for actual ducks.