- Read and understand the Record/Data Retention and Destruction Policy for The University of Alabama
- Create a list of all types of records (both physical and digital) that your area is responsible for and the contact for each of those types of records. Start a Records Inventory that contains: record type, dates covered, brief description, format (paper vs electronic), storage location, and contact information for record manager.
- Consult the retention schedule to determine what the retention period is for the various records held by your area and make sure this information is communicated to all staff. Add the retention schedule for each record type on your Records Inventory and ensure that this retention schedule is reviewed no less than yearly
- Determine if your area has any records in Archives, and ensure that archive information is included in your Records Inventory.
- Make sure that records are kept in a secure location and protected from unauthorized access, environmental factors, and other potential harm.
- Where are records stored?
- Who can access them?
- What security measures are in place?
- If any records are subject to litigation (lit) holds also known as a legal hold (prevents destruction, alteration or mutilation of evidence and applies to both hard copies of documents and to electronically stored information), ensure that appropriate staff members are aware of these situations and that records are marked accordingly.
- Update the Records Inventory when documents have been purged (physical and digital) and their disposition method, date of disposition and who purged them