There are also other aspects of record disposition that may be implemented if the need presents itself.
Accession
First disposition option is accession. Accession involves removing, i.e. deleting of the records, its metadata and all other information from the file
plan of the records management. Before that happens however, all necessary documents are transferred to another party permanently, the other party takes responsibility and ownership of those records from there on. The other party is often a public archive where records are stored for public view, some of those records may also be of historical value. There are multiple reasons why a record should be transferred to another party.
Destroy
Destroying of records is easy to understand. When a record cycle ends and it needs to be disposed, i.e. destroyed, it is simply erased if it is in an electronic format. Most of electronic data are overwritten on a disk bit level. Physical records on the other hand are destroyed manually; they are burned, shredded or even destroyed in acid baths, depending on the destruction that may be referred to as expunging.
Review
Review is used to additionally review the records at the end of their life cycle allowing the disposition to take place on a later date if the staff or organization responsible for the review finds the documents needed for further use.
Expunging
Expunging is another term for the destroy option in the records disposition field. When expunging is used the records are deleted or destroyed in a manner that not even forensic experts can discover any content of those records.
Records Scheduling
Records scheduling is the most important part of the disposition. It is actually a process that determines which option should be implemented for the records in question. After analysis, which is usually done annually, it is decided whether those records should be transferred, destroyed or if they are further needed by the organization.
Records Schedule Development
Before implementing a records schedule you need to develop it, in order to do that you must answer these questions:
- Is your record schedule based upon program records or inventories? And you also need to answer if the inventories are updated on a regular basis in order to be compatible with the changes in maintaining the records, electronic records or even some changes in programs.
- You need to make sure that the records schedule has full detailed description of the records series; schedule needs to explain the content and the arrangement of those program files it uses. Also you need to make sure that the records schedule has a good description of your electronic records in several key elements: Purpose, Content, Source of information and Output
- Next step is to make sure that the instructions for the disposition include the following provisions for: Cutoffs or file breaks, Detailed guide for delivering hard copy documents, i.e. records to the Federal records center, Instruction for records that are supposed to go to the National Archives permanently, A specific period of retention before the final disposition
- Next step is to make sure that the electronic records follow a predetermined process for the transfer to the Archives of permanent electronic records.
- You need to conduct reviews periodically in order to identify new records and new information systems, also you need to make sure if there are any changes in recordkeeping that require a revision of records schedule.
Once you complete all of those you can continue with implementation of record schedules.
Records Schedule Implementation
There are five key steps in records schedule implementation and those are:
- Records liaisons needs to keep track and watch the implementation of records schedules
- The copies of records schedules need to be provided to the staff by the program or office that handles Federal records
- The records schedule and records can only be destroyed, i.e. disposed, only in compliance with the law and regulations designed for the records schedule
- Efficient managing of records is a must, your file custodians need to destroy records, files and documents as soon as their retention period expires. The records that are eligible for Federal records center need to be delivered there before disposition according to the records schedule
- If the records schedule directs the transfer of records to the National Archives all permanent records must be transferred
Once all that is done it is clear which records should be destroyed, which should be transferred and which of them are still needed. You cannot destroy any record before its life cycle ends nor before the implementation of the record schedule.
An effective records management including the disposition of the records provides a more effective function of any organization. Keeping the necessary documents and disposal of the documents that are not needed results in a more effective production. It also insures that the historically important documentation is kept safe and transferred to the
National Archives. Article describes the importance of records disposition. It also describes the key steps in records disposition and construction of records schedule which is a crucial step for disposition.
