Dry-Run Verification Gate (QA)

Dry-Run Verification Gate (QA)

1. 01

   Snapshot the target directory tree before any rule is armed

   Record file counts, total byte size, and the five oldest and newest timestamps per folder. This baseline is what you compare against after the first monitored run, and it is the only way to prove a rules-based sorter did not quietly relocate client deliverables.

2. 02

   Run every rule set in preview mode against a live copy, not a synthetic sample

   SortSage caps dry-run previews at 1,000 files, so split large client archives into batches under that ceiling or the preview will silently truncate and hide collisions. Log each batch result to a shared sheet with rule name, match count, and destination path.

3. 03

   Force a deliberate conflict case and confirm the tie-break behavior

   Create two files that satisfy overlapping conditions (for example a large old PDF matching both an archive rule and a by-type rule) and verify which destination wins. Undocumented precedence is the most common source of misfiled client assets.

4. 04

   Verify the undo or rollback path on a throwaway folder

   Move 20 files, reverse the operation, and confirm originals return with names and timestamps intact. If the utility cannot reverse a batch, restrict it to copy-only mode for anything touching retainer deliverables.

5. 05

   Test the monitor against a real working directory for one full business day

   Real-time folder watching behaves differently under sync clients and network shares than on a local disk. Watch for duplicate moves, partial file locks, and rules firing on temp files that appear mid-download.

6. 06

   Set an exclusion list covering active project folders and cloud-synced roots

   Anything a delivery team is editing today should be out of scope. Exclude design source files, in-progress exports, and any directory a client has write access to.

7. 07

   Get written sign-off from the account owner before enabling unattended monitoring

   One line in the client channel confirming scope, exclusions, and the rollback method. Desktop tools run on someone's machine, so the person whose laptop it is owns the risk and should acknowledge it.