The promotion list was an inventory of Starfleet officers who were in line for advancement in rank.
In 2254, Benjamin Finney was reprimanded and relegated to the bottom of Starfleet's promotion list as a result of an oversight on his part that almost led to the destruction of the starship USS Republic. Finney's error was logged by the officer's old friend, then-Ensign James T. Kirk, subsequently leading to a rift in their friendship. (TOS: "Court Martial")