Life Cycle Concept

Records management revolves around the concept of a record life cycle, and the idea that the use of a record may change over time. Typically, a record is used (i.e., is active) when the project, event, or activities described by it are taking place. The importance of a record in terms of day-to-day use is often inversely proportional to its age, because as time passes, the record is needed less and less frequently.

There are several main steps or stages that encompass the records management life cycle:

• Creation and active stage: During this stage, records act like regular documents: they may be frequently accessed, may be modified, and should be readily available. The following actions can be performed on active records:
  • Modify
  • Relocate
  • Close
  • Hold

The active stage ends when the record is cut off.

• Cutoff:(Action) In Laserfiche, cutoff signals the beginning of a record's retention. The record becomes read-only and is considered inactive in the system.
• Retention: Once the record is cut off, its retention period (i.e., inactive stage) begins. The amount of time a record will be held in retention depends on the laws and regulations your organization is required to follow. Retention periods may differ depending on the type of record being retained. The retention dictated for your records is translated into Laserfiche in the form of a retention schedule; this includes any interim transfers and the type of final disposition. The following actions can be performed on records while in retention:
  • Interim transfers
  • Final disposition
• Final disposition:(Action) At the end of retention, records can undergo one of the following methods of final disposition:
  • Destruction: Records are purged from the system.
  • Accession: Records are sent to an archival organization for continued preservation.
  • None: No disposition. Records are maintained indefinitely.