cross my X's and circle my O's

Reader's　Digest 11月号の記事 "All in a Day's Work" からの引用です。

If you like to eavesdrop on your co-workers, these are the sorts of conversations you might encounter:
*Employee on phone with customer: "I just need to cross my X's and circle my O's, then I can get back to you.

この "cross my X's and circle my O's" が何をすることなのか見当が付きません。辞書を見ても慣用句ではなさそうです。
そこで最近使い始めた ChatGPT に意味を訊ねたところ次の返事がありました。

The phrase "cross my X's and circle my O's" in this context is likely being used metaphorically or idiomatically to convey the idea of completing or finishing certain tasks or actions before being able to respond or get back to the customer. It's a playful or creative way of expressing the need to wrap up or finalize something before being available for further interaction. The specific meaning may depend on the broader context of the conversation or the nature of the tasks being referred to.

具体的な動作を示しているわけではなく　"a playful or creative way of expressing the need to wrap up or finalize something" で電話を切る言い訳で言ったようですね。　ChatGPT に更にこの表現の由来があるかも訊いて見ました。

The expression "cross my X's and circle my O's" doesn't appear to be a well-known or widely recognized idiom or phrase with a specific historical or cultural origin. It seems to be a playful and creative way of expressing the idea of completing tasks or actions before being able to respond. The use of X's and O's may be chosen for their simplicity and visual appeal, making the expression more whimsical. It's possible that the specific phrase was coined or popularized within the context of the article you mentioned, or it could be a localized and informal expression used by a particular group of people. Without more context, it's challenging to trace the exact origin of this specific expression.

この説明を読んで、"tic-tac-toe" と "dot the i's and cross the t's" / "dot your i’s and cross your t’s" を連想しましたが、やはり "cross my X's and circle my O's" は単なる口実で、日本語で簡単に言えば「あれやらこれやら/なんだかんだをした」にあたるのでしょう。