Records Management Policies and Procedures

For records management to be effective, it must be integrated into existing workflows and document management processes. Office tools and technology used for records and workflow management at SJSU vary, however there are basic practices that can be applied to any system or tool. (Adapted from the University of Maryland Libraries research guide on Managing Records.)

Records Review Cycle

Create a plan to regularly assess your records and identify those that are inactive, non-vital, and/or governed by the CSU Retention Schedule. After completing the Records Management Self Assessment (described at 9.1), identify either a recurring time of year to review records, or events that should trigger a records review. These might include any or all of the following:

• when you complete a project
• at the end of the fiscal year
• at the end of the school year
• when a person leaves or joins your office or organization
• at less busy times of the year when you have time to review records

Moving Records’ Status

Create and document a process for moving records from active to inactive status, and from inactive status to final disposition^ⓘ (retention or destruction). Ensure that training on these processes is part of the onboarding procedures for any records stewards (and records creators as needed):

• Designate different storage spaces (physical or digital) for active and inactive records.
• Regularly review and move records according to your records review cycle (described above).
• Schedule recurring appointments with the University Archivist to plan the appraisal and transfer of archival records.