Objective

Before you can clean, fix, or automate anything, you need to know what data exists and where it lives.
Today’s mission is to surface every dataset your organisation touches, no matter how messy, small, or scattered.
Visibility is the foundation of integrity.

Why This Matters

Most businesses underestimate how many data sources they actually use.
Hidden spreadsheets, forgotten forms, and “temporary” folders quietly become permanent, and they’re often the root cause of chaos later.
By mapping every source today, you’re creating the inventory that powers your future automations, dashboards, and AI systems.

The Exercise

Step 1 - List Everything (10 mins)

Open a new table or use the Data Source Inventory template.
For each dataset you can think of, capture:

• 🗂 Name of dataset or file (e.g., “Client Onboarding Form Responses”)
• 📍 Where it lives (e.g., Google Sheets, Airtable, Dropbox, CRM)
• 👤 Who owns or updates it
• 🎯 What it’s used for (reporting, operations, finance, marketing, etc.)

Step 2 - Explore the Hidden Places (5–10 mins)

Look in:

• Shared drives and cloud folders
• Spreadsheets linked to forms
• CRMs, accounting tools, and project apps
• Team email attachments or Slack file shares
• Any platform where data is collected or stored

Step 3 - Group by Type (5 mins)

Once listed, tag or colour-code each source as:

• 🟩 Active – regularly updated and in use
• 🟨 Legacy – no longer current but still referenced
• 🟥 Unknown – unclear origin or owner (flag for review)

Step 4 - Verify Ownership (Optional)

Message each owner to confirm:

“Are you the right contact for this dataset, and do you still use it?”
Document their answer. This will accelerate Day 5 (“Map Ownership”).