4 min read
Prepare a source inventory in one sitting
A useful checklist before you export or connect any business system.
List where the work lives
Start with the systems your team uses for requests, decisions, actions, and outcomes. These may be a help desk, shared inbox, document library, sales system, or collaboration tool.
Use the system names to identify sources. Listing a tool does not grant access or authorize extraction.
Describe each source in plain terms
For each source, record its owner, record types, date range, approximate count, format, and retention rules. Add a short example of the task the records show.
Keep the example descriptive. Do not paste real customer details, internal messages, account numbers, or sensitive information into an intake form.
Map the links between records
A request may begin in email, become a task, and end in a support case. Note whether the records share an approved identifier or a reliable sequence.
Do not invent a connection that the source cannot support. If a link is uncertain, mark it as uncertain.
Mark restrictions and open questions
List sources that include personal information, confidential work, third-party content, or contractual limits. Record who needs to answer the permission questions.
An inventory is ready for discussion when it names the sources and the gaps. It does not need to contain a raw export.
Put it into an inventory.
Describe the records your team holds. You can start without a raw export.
See if your data qualifies