How to Implement Records Management

Conduct a Records Inventory

Document what records your organization creates and maintains:

Inventory Components:

• Record types and categories

• Physical and electronic formats

• Current storage locations

• Volume and growth rate

• Who creates and accesses records

Common Record Categories:

• Administrative (policies, procedures)

• Financial (invoices, budgets, audits)

• Legal (contracts, litigation files)

• HR (personnel files, benefits)

• Operations (project files, correspondence)

Document each record series with examples and locations.

Develop a Retention Schedule

Create rules for how long to keep each record type:

Retention Considerations:

• Legal and regulatory requirements

• Business operational needs

• Historical/archival value

• Litigation hold requirements

Common Retention Periods:

• Tax records: 7 years

• Employment records: 7 years after termination

• Contracts: 7 years after expiration

• Correspondence: 2-5 years

• Board minutes: Permanent

Work With:

• Legal counsel for regulatory requirements

• Finance for tax-related records

• HR for employment records

• IT for electronic records policies

Establish Filing Systems

Create consistent organization for physical and digital records:

Filing System Components:

• Classification scheme (how records are grouped)

• Naming conventions (standardized file names)

• Folder structures (hierarchy and depth)

• Indexing methods (how to find records)

Physical Filing:

• Color-coded folders by category

• Consistent labeling format

• Logical arrangement (alpha, numeric, date)

• Index or finding aids

Electronic Filing:

• Mirrored folder structure

• Metadata tagging

• Version control protocols

• Search and retrieval optimization

Write Policies and Procedures

Document your records management program:

Policy Components:

• Purpose and scope of program

• Roles and responsibilities

• Record retention requirements

• Storage and security standards

• Destruction procedures

Procedure Documentation:

• How to file new records

• How to retrieve records

• How to request destruction

• How to respond to legal holds

• How to handle vital records

Get Approval From:

• Executive leadership

• Legal department

• Compliance/risk management

• IT (for electronic records)

Train Staff and Implement

Roll out the program organization-wide:

Training Topics:

• Why records management matters

• How to use the filing system

• Retention schedule basics

• Their role and responsibilities

• Where to get help

Implementation Steps:

• Announce program launch

• Distribute policies and procedures

• Provide department-specific training

• Set up new filing systems

• Begin regular destruction cycles

Change Management:

• Identify departmental champions

• Address resistance and concerns

• Provide ongoing support

• Celebrate early wins

Monitor and Improve

Maintain the program over time:

Ongoing Activities:

• Annual retention schedule review

• Regular compliance audits

• Update procedures as needed

• Refresher training for staff

• New employee orientation

Audit Checklist:

• Are records filed correctly?

• Is destruction happening on schedule?

• Are holds being honored?

• Is electronic filing following standards?

• Are vital records protected?

Metrics to Track:

• Volume of records by category

• Storage costs (physical and electronic)

• Retrieval time and success rate

• Compliance with retention schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between records management and document management?

Document management focuses on day-to-day document creation, storage, and collaboration. Records management adds governance—retention schedules, legal holds, systematic destruction, and compliance. A document becomes a record when it's finalized and serves as evidence of a business activity.

Do we need records management software?

It depends on organization size and complexity. Small organizations can manage with shared drives and spreadsheet-based schedules. Larger organizations benefit from dedicated software with automated retention, legal hold management, and audit trails. Consider software if manual processes become unmanageable.

How do we handle email as records?

Email containing business decisions, approvals, or transaction evidence should be captured as records. Options include saving to document management systems, email archiving solutions, or structured retention within email platforms. Establish clear policies on what email to keep and for how long.

What happens during a legal hold?

Legal holds suspend normal destruction for records potentially relevant to litigation or investigation. Affected records must be preserved regardless of retention schedule. Holds require clear communication, tracking of affected records, and release notification when the hold ends.