What Should a Data Cleanup Decision Log Record?

A decision is more than a changed value

A cleanup record should show what was observed, what was proposed, and why a reviewer accepted, rejected, or deferred the proposal. A changed cell by itself cannot tell the next person whether the source was authoritative, whether a rule was applied, or whether the change can be undone.

At minimum, keep the record identifier, field name, original value, proposed value, source reference, rule or reason, reviewer, review time, decision, and reversal path. If a field contains sensitive information, use a redacted reference instead of copying the value into a broad review file.

Use decisions that reflect uncertainty

Three outcomes are rarely enough. A practical queue can include accepted, rejected, needs review, insufficient evidence, and not applicable. “Insufficient evidence” is different from “rejected”: the first says the question remains open, while the second says the proposed change was considered and declined.

Do not turn an empty source into a guessed value. Record the missing evidence and the smallest next check that could resolve it. This keeps an incomplete record visible without disguising it as a completed repair.

Keep corrections reversible

Before applying a correction, preserve the original value and a stable record identifier. Define whether the change can be rolled back individually or only through a versioned batch. A reviewer should be able to answer which rule affected the record and what would happen if that rule changes later.

AI Cleanup Doctor can help organize a redacted decision log for review. It does not make a business decision, replace access controls, or certify that a correction is appropriate for every record. The owner remains responsible for the policy, approval and final change.

A compact review template

Use one row per proposal: record ID, field, source evidence, original state, proposed state, rule, confidence or evidence status, reviewer decision, reviewer, timestamp, and rollback reference. Keep the template small enough that reviewers will actually complete it, then add fields only when a real exception requires them.