Drive Cleanup & Governance

Overview

A fast-growing services firm had 5 years of inconsistent folder structures and permission sprawl across Google Drive. We delivered a prioritized cleanup plan, an automated migration for canonical folders, and a role-based access model.

Challenge

• Files duplicated across drives, inconsistent naming conventions.
• Too many users with broad access; hard to audit who can see financials.
• Low confidence in where to store documents and slow document retrieval.

Solution

• Conducted a two-week content and permission audit to identify highest-value fixes.
• Created a canonical folder model, naming conventions, and migration plan.
• Automated migration scripts to move and relink files with minimal disruption; implemented role-based permissions.

Results

• 50% reduction in duplicate files and 40% faster average document retrieval time.
• Clear role-based access reduced broad access by 65% and simplified audits.
• Staff reported less time searching for documents and fewer accidental shares.

Timeline & Tech

6-week engagement using Drive APIs, scripted migrations, and admin console configurations. Focus on low-risk migrations and business continuity during the cleanup.

“The cleanup saved us weeks of wasted time each month. We finally trust our shared drives.” — COO, Services Firm