Build an executive office document retention calendar

Document governance

Key takeaways

• record category
• retention trigger
• disposition authority

Operating data

Playbook

A retention calendar translates approved policy into dated review work; it does not let an assistant decide how long records should exist. Start with the organization’s authorized schedule and map each record category to its system of record, responsible owner, retention trigger, review interval, required hold check, disposition authority, and evidence of completion.

Define the trigger precisely. Retention may begin at creation, contract end, employee separation, project closure, or another event established by policy. Store the trigger date and source rather than estimating from a filename. The executive document management guide can help separate working files, authoritative records, and access responsibilities.

Create recurring horizon reviews for categories approaching a policy milestone. Before any disposition, verify category, trigger, applicable jurisdiction or business rule, active investigation or legal hold, access restrictions, and required approval. If records span categories or owners disagree, quarantine the item for review; never choose the shortest period for convenience.

NARA records management guidance provides broad public resources on records programs, while the organization’s counsel, privacy, security, tax, employment, and regulatory owners determine applicable rules. Treat backups, exports, chat attachments, and duplicate working copies according to the approved schedule rather than assuming deletion from one folder completes the requirement.

Log each outcome as retained, transferred, destroyed, anonymized, or held, with authority, date, scope, method, and verification evidence. Route unresolved reviews through operations follow-through. Audit missed triggers, ownerless categories, stale permissions, and dispositions lacking evidence. The calendar succeeds when authorized policy is repeatable and reviewable, not when storage volume simply declines.