Before moving anything.
Make the collection and the boundaries understandable.
- List the source locations and authorized people.
- Identify a separate working-copy destination.
- Set aside especially sensitive material for assessment.
- Agree what may be changed and what must stay untouched.
Before applying a structure.
Test the rules on a small fictional or authorized sample.
- Choose the main retrieval key: project, client, or period.
- Approve folder categories and a compact naming rule.
- Define unknown dates and missing project references.
- Separate duplicate candidates from confirmed revisions.
Before handoff.
Confirm the result is usable and traceable.
- Check the original-to-new-name mapping.
- Review ambiguous records with the client.
- Verify permissions at the final destination.
- Provide a short guide and agree retention or return.
After the backlog.
If new records keep arriving, assign responsibility for the incoming queue and the question list. A clean collection stays useful when the maintenance step has an owner.