Build a simple content inventory spreadsheet

A spreadsheet becomes a useful content inventory when each row represents something a reader can actually encounter: a web page, downloadable guide or other maintained asset. Avoid mixing individual paragraphs, whole campaigns and entire websites in the same list. Without a consistent unit, the number of rows says very little.

Start with the pages you are responsible for. Give each one a stable identifier and its current address. Use the page title as a separate field, because titles can change and several pages may have similar names. If the address changes, keep a note of the old location rather than quietly losing the connection to earlier work.

Add fields that lead to a decision

A workable first sheet might contain identifier, address, title, intended audience, main reader task, owner, last substantive review, condition and next action. The reader task is often the most revealing column. ‘Explains delivery options before purchase’ tells you more than ‘Delivery content’. If nobody can describe the task, investigate whether the page needs to exist.

Keep condition and next action separate. A page can be accurate but hard to navigate, or well written but out of date. Its next action could be to correct a figure, combine it with another page or leave it unchanged. A vague red rating does not tell the next editor what to do. Write a brief reason beside any proposed retirement, especially when another page depends on the material.

Use controlled values selectively

Choose a small set of status values, such as unreviewed, review in progress, action agreed and complete. Add a legend explaining what each means. Do not make every field a free-form note: ‘Needs review’, ‘Review needed’ and ‘To check’ will become three categories when someone filters the sheet. Equally, do not force a complex editorial judgement into a dropdown when a sentence is necessary.

Test the inventory on ten varied pages before importing the rest. Include an old article, a frequently visited service page, a download and a page owned by another team. This exposes missing fields without requiring a large cleanup later. If a field is consistently blank, ask whether it is necessary or whether you have assigned nobody to obtain the information.

Make maintenance part of publishing

Link the inventory to your existing work rather than establishing a separate reporting ritual. When a page is substantially changed, update its review date and outstanding action. When a new page is published, create its row. Record the date of the inventory's initial collection separately; collecting an address is not the same as reviewing the content.

Filter the sheet for decisions: pages with no owner, actions without dates, duplicated reader tasks and material awaiting evidence. Keep private contact details and unrelated customer information out of a shared inventory. The spreadsheet should expose the state of the content, not become an accidental store of sensitive working material.