How to create a data inventory

A data inventory is a list of datasets with metadata that describes their contents, source, licensing and other useful information. A data inventory can be a useful tool for any organisation or project dealing with multiple types and sources of data. Creating a data inventory is also an important part of creating a data management plan for a research project. An annotated list of datasets can help you to effectively locate, manage, use and share data. The context it provides can help users understand why data has been collected, what it contains, how it is managed and the ways it will be made available for others to use. When published under an open licence, a data inventory can help people find and use the data they need. This short guide provides ● a summary of the benefits of creating a data inventory ● an outline of the steps to create a data inventory ● some recommendations about what metadata to include in an inventory