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Records retention and archiving processes

Purpose

1. The primary purpose is to automate the identification, secure storage, and scheduled deletion/archive of documents and records based on compliance, legal, or organizational policies to reduce risk, improve organizational efficiency, and support audit-readiness.

2. Automating retention ensures policy-based, auditable, and consistent management of physical and digital records, including donor files, board reports, audits, transactional documents, grant agreements, and correspondence.

3. Automation enhances adherence to compliance requirements (IRS, GDPR, state/federal regulations) and reduces manual intervention, human error, and accidental data loss.


Trigger Conditions

1. Document creation/new record upload in DMS, file server, or cloud storage.

2. Receipt/completion of transaction, grant award, donation, or audit filing.

3. Expiry of retention period based on metadata, document type, or policy.

4. Policy updates, legal hold releases, or compliance review outputs.

5. Scheduled/recurring audit cycles or automated monitoring events.


Platform Variants

1. Microsoft SharePoint

  • Feature/Setting: Configure "Information Management Policies" to automate retention schedules; setup workflows using Power Automate triggers for document expiry and archiving.

2. Google Workspace

  • Feature/Setting: Use Google Vault to automate retention rules and "Drive API v3" for detecting document age/expiry and automate moving files to designated archive folders.

3. Box

  • Feature/Setting: Automate retention policies with Box Governance API and trigger "Retention Policy Assignment" workflows.

4. Dropbox

  • Feature/Setting: Use Dropbox Business API to automate document auditing, access eDiscovery events, and trigger file move/archive actions based on retention scripts.

5. DocuSign

  • Feature/Setting: Use DocuSign Connect for envelope complete events to automate archiving of signed agreements in secure cloud storage or internal file servers.

6. AWS S3

  • Feature/Setting: Automate policies via "Object Lifecycle Management” and trigger S3 Events API for object transitions to Glacier for long-term archival.

7. Google Cloud Storage

  • Feature/Setting: Use "Object Lifecycle Management" policies and automate rule-based archival using Cloud Functions triggers.

8. OneDrive for Business

  • Feature/Setting: Setup Retention Labels and automate archival workflows via Microsoft Graph API for file movement post-retention period.

9. M-Files

  • Feature/Setting: Automate records lifecycle with Workflow Engine and automate retention or destruction steps based on metadata triggers.

10. NetDocuments

  • Feature/Setting: Automate retention/disposition workflows using ndThread API and policy-based document rules.

11. Laserfiche

  • Feature/Setting: Configure Records Management module with automated cutoff and disposition schedules, triggered by record state.

12. Smartsheet

  • Feature/Setting: Automate with “Data Retention Control” settings and use “Automations” for archiving rows/files after set periods.

13. Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack

  • Feature/Setting: Automate record archival using "Scheduled Flows" for custom and standard object retention.

14. Egnyte

  • Feature/Setting: Automate data governance with Egnyte Protect and trigger retention or archival moves using Egnyte Public API.

15. Zoho WorkDrive

  • Feature/Setting: Use “Automated Workflows” and Zoho WorkDrive API for archival triggers and retention monitoring.

16. Relativity

  • Feature/Setting: Use “Automated Structured Data Archiving” via Relativity Processing API and trigger archival after legal holds are released.

17. Iron Mountain Connect

  • Feature/Setting: Schedule automated pickups/disposals and digital archive processes using API/Webhooks integration.

18. Mimecast Cloud Archive

  • Feature/Setting: Automate retention and purge with "Retention Management” and "Smart Tags" for compliance-mandated messaging archives.

19. OpenText Content Suite

  • Feature/Setting: Configure rule-based "Records Management Automation" and schedule archival with ECM Automation Workflows.

20. Zoho Creator

  • Feature/Setting: Setup Deluge scripts to automate record retention, schedule data archival functions, and receive expiry alerts.

Benefits

1. Automates regulatory compliance, reduces risks associated with data breaches and loss.

2. Streamlines audit preparation by automatedly ensuring access to retention logs and archived items.

3. Frees up staff from repetitive retention and archival management, increasing effectiveness.

4. Automated retention reduces costs associated with manual processes and long-term storage.

5. Enables automatable consistency in archival, deletion, and review, supporting non-profit governance and transparency.

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