A data licensing readiness checklist

1. Write a two-sentence description

Explain what the records document and why your business created them. Use general product or process descriptions. Leave out customer names, staff details, contract terms and excerpts. If even that description is confidential, ask about an NDA before sending it.

2. Record the shape of the collection

Note the approximate number of records or repositories, years covered, file formats, languages and whether new records are still being created. Say whether the records include outcomes, explanations or links between related events. Use ranges where exact counts would require unnecessary work.

3. Identify the decision maker

Who can approve a licence? Would it require a board decision, a customer’s permission or another organisation’s involvement? Note roles rather than personal details. An interested employee is not necessarily authorised to commit the business.

4. Make a restrictions list

List questions about ownership, customer confidentiality, contractor contributions, licensed material, open-source components and prior exclusive agreements. Mark an answer “unknown” if it needs checking. Do not treat an unanswered question as permission to share.

5. Identify information that needs protection

Flag the presence of personal details, credentials, confidential customer content and regulated or security-sensitive material. Describe the category, not the actual content. Ask who would assess whether a safe, useful subset can be prepared. Fairlode does not accept these records in the initial enquiry.

6. Decide which uses you would consider

Training, evaluation and onward redistribution are separate questions. Write down any proposed restrictions: territory, recipient, competitors, duration, recurring updates or exclusivity. These are negotiating requirements to discuss, not controls that automatically exist because you requested them.

7. Ask for the commercial process

Before investing in preparation, ask whether a specific requirement exists, who reviews suitability, when any indicative price is discussed and what conditions attach to payment. Establish who pays preparation costs if the buyer declines. Avoid treating a referral or expression of interest as a completed sale.

8. Keep a decision record

Keep the description sent, named recipient, agreed purpose and approvals together. If an offer follows, obtain the proposed agreement and your own legal advice. Check permitted uses, onward rights, confidentiality, payment, liability and what happens when the agreement ends.

Your first enquiry should be small

A useful initial message combines the two-sentence description with broad scale, format and known restrictions. No repository link, sample file, support transcript or customer export is needed. Fairlode reviews that description and explains whether an introduction is worth exploring.

For context, read how AI data licensing works.