Federal Records Inventory Worksheet (Records Liaison)

This worksheet is meant for records liaisons, office managers, and anyone assigned to inventory records for a federal office or program. It helps capture what records exist, where they are kept, who controls them, and which schedule item applies. If your office has multiple custodians or mixed media, this template gives you one place to standardize the inventory.

Include each record series that your office creates, receives, or maintains, especially series with different retention rules, media types, or access restrictions. Do not lump unrelated files into one line item if they have different schedules or custodians. If a series is stored in more than one location, note that in the location field or add a separate row when needed.

Use it during a formal records inventory, before a records schedule review, and whenever an office changes systems, moves files, or changes custodians. Many teams also update it after a reorganization or when a new record series is created. The goal is to keep the inventory current enough that retention decisions are based on what actually exists.

A GRS item refers to a General Records Schedule item that applies broadly across federal agencies, while an agency schedule item is specific to your agency's approved records schedule. This template includes a retention schedule type field so you can identify which framework applies to each series. If you are unsure, leave a note for review rather than guessing.

It helps prevent vague series titles, missing media details, and retention notes that do not match the actual record holder or storage location. It also reduces the risk of collecting too much information in one pass and then losing track of what needs follow-up. A clear inventory makes later review, transfer, or disposition easier to audit.

Yes. The record media fields are designed to support paper, electronic, microform, email, shared drives, or other formats, and you can add options in the multi-select or other field as needed. If your office uses a document management system, you can also add a field for system name or repository location. Keep the structure aligned to the same series so the inventory stays comparable across formats.

It creates a documented inventory of record series, retention references, custody, and access restrictions, which supports records management review and audit trail needs. That documentation is useful when confirming minimum necessary access, identifying sensitive records, and preparing for transfer or disposition. The certification section also shows who reviewed the inventory and when it was completed.

After submission, the reviewer should confirm the inventory is complete, flag any missing schedule references, and assign follow-up actions for unclear series or retention questions. If the worksheet identifies restricted or sensitive records, those items should be routed to the appropriate records or privacy contact. The submission acknowledgement should make it clear that the inventory is ready for review, not automatically approved.