Before you keep, move or delete a business file
Work out what the file is, which schedule governs it, and who owns that rule.
Start with three questions. Is this file a business record or a working copy? Which jurisdiction and record category does it belong to? Who is named as the owner of the approved retention schedule for that category?
The approved schedule for your jurisdiction and record category decides how long a record is kept and where it belongs. This page does not set retention periods or describe local legal requirements. It helps you make the everyday decision and reach the right owner when the answer is not obvious.
Fictional setting: the examples below follow Northstar Works, an illustrative company. They show how the decisions work in practice and are not Northstar's or anyone's actual policy.
Worked example: closing out a vendor project
At Northstar Works, a facilities project wraps up. The team has a signed agreement with Harbor Lane Facilities and several copies of it in different places.
| Details | Final signed agreement | Copy in a working folder |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The approved, signed version: a business record | A convenience copy saved to make editing or review easier |
| Why it exists | Evidence of what was agreed | Personal or team reference while the work is in progress |
| Where it belongs | The approved records location for its category | A working folder, until it is no longer needed |
| Next check | Confirm the category and look up its schedule and owner | Confirm the signed version is filed, then follow the working-copy guidance |
| Before deleting | Schedule, hold check and disposal authorization all apply | Check that no hold covers it and that it is not the only copy |
Three decisions you will meet in daily work
Each one has a quick test and a next step.
Ask whether it is the approved, final or official version that shows a decision, transaction or commitment. If so, treat it as a record. If it is a draft, duplicate or reference copy, it is probably a working copy. If you cannot tell, ask your records owner before moving or deleting it.
A personal drive, email inbox, chat thread or local download folder is usually not where records belong. Check the approved storage guidance for your record category and move the final version there. If your team keeps records somewhere unlisted, raise it with your records owner.
A legal or other preservation hold can apply to files that would otherwise reach the end of their schedule. If you have been told about a hold, or you suspect one may cover a file because of a dispute, audit or investigation, stop any deletion and contact Legal and Compliance.
Common questions
Short answers that point you to the right owner, not to a local rule.
Which retention schedule applies to my record?
The approved schedule for your jurisdiction and record category. Both matter, because a record kept in one country or business unit may be governed by a different schedule from a similar record elsewhere. If you cannot find the schedule, ask your records owner or Legal and Compliance. Do not copy a period from a similar record.
Who confirms the category of a record?
The records owner for your department or business unit, as named on the approved schedule. If no owner is named, ask Legal and Compliance who is accountable for that category.
May I delete a working copy?
Usually only when you are sure the final record is filed in an approved location and no hold covers the material. If either point is uncertain, keep the copy and ask your records owner.
What should I do if I think a hold applies?
Stop deleting related files, including drafts, emails and chat messages that concern the same matter. Tell Legal and Compliance what the files are and where they are stored. Do not try to judge the scope of the hold yourself.
Who can authorize disposal?
The role named in your organization's approved disposal process. That is not always your manager and not necessarily the person who created the record. If the process does not name a role for your category, ask your records owner before taking any action.
What if my team has always handled these files differently?
Check the approved guidance anyway. Team habits do not change a schedule, a location rule or a hold. If a habit conflicts with the guidance, raise it with your records owner so it can be corrected or documented.
Before you dispose of a business record
Work through these in order. If any step is unclear, pause and ask.
-
1
Identify the record category and jurisdiction
Note what kind of record it is and which jurisdiction governs it. For the Harbor Lane example, that means the signed vendor agreement and the location it was entered into.
-
2
Check the approved schedule
Confirm that the record has reached the end of its approved retention period, using the schedule itself rather than memory or a colleague's estimate.
-
3
Check for holds
Ask Legal and Compliance whether a hold covers this record or the matter it relates to. A hold takes priority over the schedule.
-
4
Get authorization from the named role
Obtain approval from the role that your approved disposal process specifies. Keep a note of who approved it and when, if the process asks for one.
-
5
Dispose through the approved method
Remove the record using the method the process allows, from every location where it is held, including copies in working folders.
-
6
If anything is unclear, stop and ask
Contact your records owner or Legal and Compliance. This page is general guidance. It is not a policy and it does not authorize disposal.