At first he compiled it privately; however, in response to the request from the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) aimed at improving language ability of translators, Doeff started the full-scale compilation from 1816 in cooperation with 11 Dutch interpreters in Nagasaki including Sakusaburo Nakayama, Gonnosuke YOSHIO, Juro YAMAJI (or possibly Juro NISHIGI), Sukejuro ISHIBASHI and others.
当初は私的に作成していたものだったが、通詞の語学力向上を目的とした幕府からの要請を受け中山作三郎･吉雄権之助(介?)･山時十郎(西儀十郎?)･石橋助十郎ら長崎通詞11人の協力を得て1816年から本格的な編纂が開始された。