Create a delivery copy, not a portable archive
The vendor drive should contain only the approved milestone required for the handoff. Exclude source projects, hidden metadata, temporary exports, unrelated contact lists, prior-event files and originals that cannot be reconstructed.
Before venue load-in, the production coordinator copies the approved schedule, technical plan and contact subset into a staging folder, removes comments and obsolete versions, verifies counts and hashes, and leaves production originals in the controlled workspace.
Run this control before handoff
- 01
Freeze the approved vendor milestone and keep the source unchanged.
- 02
Create a new staging folder with only required deliverables.
- 03
Inspect metadata, hidden content, links, temp files and old revisions.
- 04
Open every file from staging and verify its purpose.
- 05
Copy to the drive, compare the manifest and remove staging residue.
Log the operational evidence
Record source item, delivery filename, version, inclusion purpose, exclusion action, reviewer, drive ID, copy time, verification and residue cleanup.
Stop the handoff when
- Original working projects are being moved rather than copied.
- The drive contains multiple files named final.
- Personal contacts or credentials exceed the vendor’s need.
State the protection boundary
Do not equate with hardware-encrypted drives or untested Mac/Android compatibility. Password protection does not replace recipient authorization, endpoint policy, backup, recovery or physical chain of custody.
Event USB handoff questions
Should source files go on the delivery USB?
Only when explicitly required and authorized; prefer a bounded delivery copy.
Does formatting the drive clean the computer staging folder?
No. Treat every plaintext location separately.
Sources for this decision
Links support specific boundaries and do not imply endorsement.