Records workflows
Two key workflows for effective records management are:
- A regular cycle or schedule for reviewing and screening records
- A process for moving records from active to inactive to disposition
Records review cycle
Establish a review cycle to regularly screen and identify records that:
- Are no longer in active use by the organization (inactive);
- Are not necessary for recovery in an emergency (non-vital);
- Must be retained and disposed of according to the UMD records schedule (campus units only)
Based on your records self-assessment, identify a practical, recurring time to review records, or an event that can trigger a records review. For example:
- When you have completed a project
- At the end of the fiscal year
- When a person leaves or joins your organization
- At less busy times of the year when you can dedicate time to reviewing records
Review cycles work best when they fit the life cycles of programs and activities in your organization, with clearly stated roles and responsibilities.
Move records from active to inactive to disposition
Establish processes for moving records from active to inactive status, and from inactive status to disposition (archive or destroy). For example:
- Designate different storage spaces for active and inactive records
- Regularly review active records spaces for potentially inactive records.
- Move inactive records to the inactive records space.
- Regularly review inactive records spaces for records that meet retention criteria.
- Dispose of these records (destroy or transfer to archives).
- Schedule regular appointments with the University Archivist to transfer potentially archival records.
