Draw a boundary around the collection
Identify which folders, exports or approved batches belong to the task and which do not. Give each source a short reference. Keep unrelated personal, client and especially sensitive collections outside the initial scope. The person authorizing the work should confirm that the selected material may be copied and processed for this purpose.
Count in units that describe the work
Record approximate files and common formats, noting whether PDFs contain many pages or several separate records. Keep known counts distinct from estimates. A large compressed bundle is not one document merely because it is one uploaded file. If counts are unknown, say so and plan a small discovery step rather than inventing precision.
Describe overlap without declaring duplicates
Two folders may contain copies, revisions or partly overlapping projects. Mark suspected overlap between sources. Do not subtract those files from the workload until the relationship is understood. Similar names and identical file counts do not establish that collections contain the same material.
Identify the decisions that slow the work
Note missing project references, uncertain dates, competing final versions and destinations that need approval. These questions often matter as much as volume. Assign a person who can resolve them, and identify any deadline that depends on access, missing sources or a professional decision outside the cleanup task.
- Source reference and general location description
- Estimated files, formats and page-volume notes
- Known overlap or version concerns
- Authorized owner and access arrangement
- Desired output and proposed destination
- Outstanding decisions and the person responsible
Choose a representative pilot
Select an authorized sample that includes common files and a few meaningful exceptions. A pilot made only of the cleanest records may hide the real work. Use it to agree naming, indexing, output and the treatment of questions. This is a scoping aid, not a reason to place source documents or sensitive filenames in a public request form.
Separate cleanup from new incoming work
Choose the cutoff for the backlog and explain what happens to files arriving during the project. Review the old collection as a defined job; evaluate recurring filing afterward based on actual arrival patterns. A maintained destination and a simple intake rule can keep the completed backlog from becoming a second uncontrolled source.
A few useful answers
Do I have to sort everything before requesting a quote?
No. A general inventory and the result you need are enough to begin review. The organization rules can be proposed as part of the scoped work.
What if I cannot give an exact count?
Label the quantity as an estimate and describe the sources. The collection can be reviewed before a final scope and price are agreed.
Should I delete suspected duplicates to reduce the count?
Do not delete on suspicion. Preserve the sources and review relationships and authorization before any removal decision.