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.

What it is
Final signed agreement:
The approved, signed version: a business record
Copy in a working folder:
A convenience copy saved to make editing or review easier
Why it exists
Final signed agreement:
Evidence of what was agreed
Copy in a working folder:
Personal or team reference while the work is in progress
Where it belongs
Final signed agreement:
The approved records location for its category
Copy in a working folder:
A working folder, until it is no longer needed
Next check
Final signed agreement:
Confirm the category and look up its schedule and owner
Copy in a working folder:
Confirm the signed version is filed, then follow the working-copy guidance
Before deleting
Final signed agreement:
Schedule, hold check and disposal authorization all apply
Copy in a working folder:
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.

  • Is it a record or a working copy? 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.
  • Is this an approved location? 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.
  • Could a hold apply? 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.
Warning:

A hold overrides routine disposal. If a hold may apply, do not delete the file, empty a folder or clear a mailbox until Legal and Compliance or the owner named in the hold process confirms what you may do.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.