Minimum metadata card
DESCRIBED | Knowledge Cleanup
By Jonathan Malchow Vega
https://knowledgecleanup.com/resources/minimum-metadata-card/
Version 1.1 | 19 October 2026

FICTIONAL WORKED EXAMPLE. Not a client case study.

Choose the few fields that help people find and understand one collection.

Collection and retrieval question
Fictional policy library: which policy is approved for staff use?

Fields to keep
Title, owner, status, version, approval reference, official location.

Meaning of each field
Owner is the role responsible for content. Status describes approval, not file age.

Values and naming examples
Status: draft, approved, superseded, unknown. Use unknown when evidence is missing.

Who maintains the fields
Policy coordinator updates the record when approval or ownership changes.

Small retrieval test
Three sample policies tested. Added approval reference because status alone could not be checked.

Use: You may adapt this worksheet for personal or internal organizational work. Keep the author and source credit on blank copies shared internally. You retain your entries. Public redistribution or resale of blank templates requires permission.