Archive processing for structure, metadata and durable findability

Why archive processing is often the decisive step

In many organisations, the archive is not difficult to use because nothing has been digitised, but because the underlying structure is unclear. Files have grown historically, descriptions differ per subcollection, metadata is missing or inconsistent, and practical knowledge often lives primarily in the heads of employees.

In practice, that leads to the same recurring problems:

• records are difficult to retrieve
• retrieval takes time and interpretation
• digitisation produces files, but not yet a logical information environment
• description backlogs keep growing
• preparation for transfer or e-depot becomes complex
• searchability for employees, citizens or chain partners remains limited
• new applications such as AI or smart search environments cannot land effectively on poorly structured information

That is exactly why archive processing is not an administrative intermediate step, but a substantive intervention that determines whether information will later be genuinely usable.

What archive processing includes at 2dA

At 2dA, archive processing goes beyond neatly reordering boxes or adding a few descriptions. We look at the full substantive quality of an archive or file environment and build from there toward a workable, explainable and future-proof structure.

This can include:

• ordering and restructuring archive material
• describing archival files, dossiers, series and components
• building, restoring or normalising metadata
• checking consistency between physical and digital information
• preparing archives for digitisation
• enriching already digitised information
• supporting selection, disposal and transfer preparation
• improving findability, manageability and explainability
• preparing archive and file information for sustainable digital accessibility

The result is not just a better described archive, but one that stands much stronger in management, use and further development.

Why archive processing is becoming more important

Pressure on archives and document environments is increasing. Organisations need to retrieve information faster, justify their actions more carefully and make information more accessible for internal use, for citizens or for downstream processes. At the same time, the need for sustainable accessibility, high-quality metadata and transferable structures is growing.

Good metadata are not a luxury in that context. They are essential for managing, finding, exchanging and interpreting information, and they play a direct role in reliability and sustainable accessibility. During e-depot ingest, metadata are also checked for structure and mandatory elements. Metadata also play a central role in searchability and findability during disclosure.

That makes archive processing more relevant than ever. Not only for clearing backlogs, but for organising information in such a way that it remains genuinely transferable, consultable and digitally usable later on.

When archive processing is needed

2dA supports organisations in situations such as these:

Description backlogs

Archives may be present, but only described to a limited extent or left untouched for years. Staff roughly know what is in them, but formal accessibility is weak.

Preparation for digitisation

Before digitisation, it must first be clear what the structure is, how the parts relate to one another, what the exceptions are and which metadata are needed.

After digitisation

Files have been delivered, but the substantive access layer is still insufficient. Archive processing is then needed to make scans truly workable.

Transfer or transfer preparation

Archives need to be in better substantive order to become transferable, including description, selection, context and logical metadata.

Building toward e-depot

Digital or digitised information must not only exist, but also be sustainably accessible, structured and controllable. The National Archives and KIA therefore explicitly treat e-depot as a practice of storing, opening up and keeping digital information sustainably accessible.

Improving findability

When staff, citizens or specialists struggle to find information, the problem often lies in the description, coherence and context.

Preparation for AI and smart search applications

AI works best on information that has been logically structured, described and enriched. Without that foundation, the outcome remains limited.

Which organisations benefit most from archive processing

Archive processing is relevant for many sectors, but the reason differs.

Municipalities and district municipalities

For organisations dealing with citizen requests, WOO requests, archive backlogs, destruction, transfer and the need to retrieve information more quickly.

Regional archives and archive institutions

For organisations that want to strengthen description, metadata, transfer, scanning on demand, digital accessibility and e-depot preparation.

Water boards and executive organisations

For organisations where reliable archiving, logical structure and sustainable accessibility are important for management, accountability and day-to-day practice.

Notaries and law firms

For environments with confidential files, high structural demands, long retention periods and a need for safe, fast consultation.

Heritage institutions, libraries and museums

For collections where context, preservation, substantive description and usability for management and research come together.

Companies with large file environments

For organisations that want to organise, enrich and open up document flows, historical files or project archives more effectively.

How 2dA approaches archive processing

2dA does not start archive processing from a standard template, but from the material, context, use and end goal.

That means we first look at questions such as:

• What is the current state of the archive?
• How clear or unclear is the existing ordering?
• Which descriptive layer is missing?
• Which metadata are present, usable or recoverable?
• Should the archive primarily become more manageable, or also more digitally accessible?
• Is there a relationship with digitisation, scanning on demand, storage, transfer or AI?
• Is it a temporary project or structural support?

From there, we shape the trajectory. Sometimes the emphasis lies on physical ordering and description. Sometimes on enriching digital files. Sometimes on preparation for digitisation or transfer. And sometimes on clearing backlogs with a combination of archival knowledge, scalable production and AI support.

Why archive processing and digitisation should reinforce each other

Digitisation without proper archive processing often produces files, but not yet a strong information environment. Conversely, a well-described archive remains underused when digital access is missing.

That is why 2dA deliberately connects these two.

Archive processing can take place:

• before digitisation, to clarify structure and selection
• during digitisation, to capture metadata and context properly
• after digitisation, to provide substantive access to scans and enrich them
• alongside scanning on demand, to strengthen retrieval processes at content level
• as preparation for storage, transfer or AI applications

That coherence is exactly what makes the difference between a digital collection and a workable digital information source. It also aligns with how 2dA already presents itself: scanning, archive processing, metadata, AI applications and storage as one logical line.

Archive processing as the basis for e-depot and sustainable accessibility

Anyone preparing archives for transfer or sustainable digital accessibility cannot avoid archive processing. E-depot requires not just files, but context, logical structure, consistent metadata and verifiable quality.

The National Archives explicitly states that metadata in the e-depot is processed in machine-readable form and checked for structure and mandatory elements. That makes it clear that substantive preparation is not a side issue, but a condition for good ingest and later management.

For 2dA, that means:

• bringing description and structure into order
• building or restoring metadata logically
• making the relationships between components visible
• helping make archives transferable
• linking substantive preparation to digitisation, storage and access

In this way, archive processing becomes a direct building block for e-depot readiness.

Describe more intelligently with AI, without giving up archival expertise

2dA can use AI to accelerate or support parts of archive processing. Think of:

• initial substantive recognition of document types
• suggested descriptions
• classification and clustering
• support in building metadata
• accelerating enrichment and access
• preparing information for semantic search applications

It is important that AI at 2dA is not a replacement for substantive archival knowledge. It is a tool to process larger volumes more intelligently, work more consistently and give staff room for control, interpretation and quality assurance.

That makes this approach especially interesting for organisations with:

• large description backlogs
• many similar files or document types
• a need for scalable access
• plans for local AI, retrieval or working on their own data

Clearing backlogs with people, expertise and scale

One of the biggest problems in archive practice is not that organisations do not know what needs to be done, but that they lack the capacity to actually do it.

That is one of 2dA's key strengths.

We combine:

• archivists
• junior archivists
• production capacity
• substantive guidance
• metadata expertise
• digitisation expertise
• AI support where useful

That means we can not only advise, but also make tangible progress. Whether it concerns a limited sub-archive, a major archive backlog, a trajectory towards digitisation or a combination of processing, describing and opening up.

What archive processing delivers in practice

Good archive processing delivers more than neat descriptions.

It delivers:

• more control over archives and files
• better findability
• clearer management
• stronger metadata
• a more logical foundation for digitisation
• less interpretation loss during retrieval
• better preparation for transfer
• a better starting position for e-depot
• more usability for smart search and AI applications
• less dependence on the implicit knowledge of individual employees

In short: archive processing makes information stronger in content, more usable operationally and more future-proof strategically.

Practical examples where archive processing makes the difference

Backlog in a municipal archive

When descriptions lag behind and WOO requests or citizen questions need to be answered more quickly, archive processing helps restore structure, archive metadata and findability.

Restructuring file environments

In confidential or historically grown file environments, clear ordering makes management more robust and consultation faster.

Preparation for digitisation

Preparing an archive for digitisation requires selection, archive description, exceptions and metadata that remain reusable later on.

Enrichment of existing scans

Even after digitisation, 2dA can help make scans and files substantively accessible through description, context, metadata and AI-supported enrichment.