This paper explores the application of quick, simple and low‐cost procedures for data collection in commercial‐driven ‘salvage’ archaeology. In large‐scale cemetery contexts, the collection of a meaningful data set is often under extreme time and cost constraints. This requires the application of tailored field techniques and interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeologists, anthropologists and developers in order to maximise results. The authors examine procedures recently utilised to document and preserve skeletal data in three post‐mediaeval cemeteries in Prague, and evaluate their efficacy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.