Sort candidates into three useful groups
Folder & Form’s suggested review begins with categories, not a delete command. Two downloads may be identical copies. A later quote may change a price. A signed agreement and its unsigned draft may describe the same work but serve different purposes. Keeping those distinctions visible makes it easier for the document owner to make the final decision.
- Duplicate candidate: apparently repeated content that still needs comparison and a retention decision.
- Revision: a changed version of the same underlying document.
- Related record: a separate document that belongs with the same job, such as an approval or completion note.
Do not let the filename choose the winner
Names such as final, final-new, or copy do not establish approval. Nor does the newest download necessarily represent the newest document. Open the candidates and compare their page count, document date, reference, content, and any annotations or signatures. If a difference matters to the business record, retain the distinction while asking the authorized owner which version is current.
Keep a review list before moving files
Work from a separate review copy where practical, and record the original location of every candidate. Give the group a short reference so the owner can answer one focused question. Avoid renaming or overwriting the only available copy while the relationship is still unclear. Your review list should explain both the proposed action and the evidence behind it.
Group: REVIEW-014 Original locations: [record each location] Document relationship: duplicate / revision / related / unknown Observed difference: [describe without guessing] Current version confirmed by: [owner and date] Proposed action: keep / archive / remove after authorization Final location: [record after approval]
Check version history where it exists
OneDrive and SharePoint can show earlier file versions through version history. Availability depends on the account and its settings; workplace administrators may disable versioning. Consult the actual history before restoring anything. Our recommendation is to preserve the current file and review the implications with its owner before replacing it with an older version.
Source: Microsoft Support — Restore a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive.
Separate archiving from deletion
Moving an older revision into an agreed Superseded folder keeps it available without presenting it as current. Deletion is a different decision. Confirm ownership, permissions, the purpose of the record, and any applicable retention instructions before removing anything. This filing workflow does not decide legal retention periods or authorize destruction. If a decision is unresolved, leave it visibly unresolved.
Make future revisions easier to recognize
Choose one location for approved working records, a simple revision convention, and a named person who can confirm approval. Record original-to-new-name mappings when cleanup changes filenames. If files arrive repeatedly, add the duplicate review rule to the incoming workflow so the next batch follows the same process. Monthly clients can send files as received under agreed rules; they do not need to complete this cleanup themselves first.
A few useful answers
Can I delete files just because their names match?
No. Matching names can conceal different revisions or unrelated files from separate projects. Compare the content and purpose, then obtain the required authorization.
Should I always keep the most recently modified file?
No. A modification or download time alone does not establish which document is approved. Use the document’s contents and the owner’s approval record.
Does Folder & Form automatically delete duplicates?
No. Duplicate candidates are flagged under the agreed organization scope. Removal requires separate authorization and handling instructions.