How did Philip II Augustus improve the keeping of royal records and financial accounts?

Philip II Augustus is widely considered the founder of royal administration in France, and he significantly improved the management of royal records and finances through several key reforms.12

To enhance administrative efficiency, his chancery began keeping more thorough records of royal activities. Documents were copied into registers before being dispatched, and the crown compiled detailed lists of churches, vassals, and towns to better track its fiscal and military rights. These efforts were likely spurred by the loss of previous records during the Battle of Fréteval in 1194, which may have prompted the adoption of a new system of fiscal accountancy first evidenced in a 1202 record of revenues and expenses.12

Furthermore, Philip improved fiscal control by:
* Appointing bailiffs (baillis) to collect extraordinary revenues and supervise provosts, who had previously farmed the revenues.12
* Adopting superior fiscal procedures from the newly acquired province of Normandy, which influenced accounting practices throughout the kingdom.12