02 — Capability · BC-790.10
Records Retention & Disposition
Decide how long each kind of record is kept, keep it that long in a form that can be trusted, and dispose of it on schedule with proof that the rules were followed.
- Records Retention
- Retention Scheduling
In scope
- The retention schedule and its legal basis
- Classifying records against the schedule
- Disposition with evidence, and vital records protection
Out of scope
- Backups kept for recovery rather than as records (see BC-730)
- Privacy rules on personal data use (see BC-140)
Decomposes into · 4
- BC-790.10.10Retention ScheduleMaintain the list of record types with how long each is kept and why, reviewed when laws or the business change.
- BC-790.10.20Records ClassificationAssign each record to a type on the retention schedule when it is created or filed, preferably automatically, so its clock starts correctly.
- BC-790.10.30Defensible DispositionDestroy records whose retention has ended, unless a hold applies, and keep a record of what was destroyed, when and under which rule.
- BC-790.10.40Vital Records ProtectionIdentify the records the organization could not operate or prove its rights without, and keep protected copies that survive a disaster.