University of Missouri

Management Services

Records Management

2008 Records Retention Guide

General Information/Helpful Tips

For more information regarding retention policy, see Section 1000 of the UM Business Policy Manual. This manual is available electronically by accessing UMINFO at http://www.umsystem.edu/uminfo/.

• Records stored at the University Records Center may be recalled to the sending department by submitting a request via:
  • Campus mail to Records Center, 2910 LeMone Industrial Blvd., Columbia, or
  • Facsimile (FAX): [573] 884=3068, or
  • Telephone: 573-882-7652, or
  • Electronic mail (Outlook) to Records Center (not case sensitive). (We recommend requesting via electronic mail. If you plan to do this, contact John Larkin, 573-882-1449, for some helpful information.)
• Eighty-five percent of all records are never referred to again once they have been filed.
• On the average, one-third of all records retained in the office should be destroyed and another one-third should be sent to the Records Center for inactive storage.
• Annual records disposal is simplified if you set up new file folders each year. Color coding the folder tabs according to year makes it easy to find the outdated material for disposal or transfer to off-site storage at the Records Center.
• One-to-five percent of all records are misfiled.
• Retain and dispose of electronic records according to the records retention policies.
• Microfilm saves 98% percent of space needed over paper records.
• Develop a standard naming convention for electronic records and have everyone in your office use it.
• Organize your hard drive like you would your filing cabinet:
  • Hard Drive = File Cabinet
  • Directories = File drawers
  • 1st Level Subdirectories = Primary Guides
  • 2nd Level Subdirectories = File Folders
  • Individual Records
• Directory and Subdirectory names should indicate the type of records stored in them.
• Ninety-five percent of an organization's records over 3 years old are never referred to again.
• Seventy to seventy-five percent of all correspondence is internal.
• Periodically copy to diskette semi-active and inactive records to free up hard disk space.
• Migrate ALL records (including those stored on floppy diskettes) when hardware or software is upgraded.
• Backup electronic records on a REGULAR basis (at least once a week).
• Store the backup copies at a location separate from your PC.
• If you are on a Local Area Network, backup your hard drive to the network server.
• Scan ALL diskettes for viruses BEFORE installing the software or the files onto your hard drive.
• It costs approximately $100 to find a misfiled record.
• When ordering forms from the storeroom, order by unit (pad, package). There are 25 forms to a pad or package.
• Keep a 3-to-6 month's supply of the forms you use in your office.
• Reorder forms when you are down to a 4 week's supply.