File archiving and disposal scheduling

Purpose

1. Ensure automated compliance with legal requirements for file retention, disposition, and security through scheduled file archiving and disposal workflows.

2. Automate identification of files reaching end-of-retention, archive transfer, notifications, and secure file destruction to minimize legal risk and storage costs.

3. Automator supports paralegal teams in managing sensitive legal documents, maintaining audit trails, and demonstrating regulatory automation before audits.

Trigger Conditions

1. Expiry of legal retention period for documents as per compliance schedule.

2. Manual automator initiation by compliance officer or paralegal via dashboard or form.

3. Receipt of automated notification from DMS or client management software for archiving or destruction eligibility.

4. Predefined document type, case closure, or client instruction as automation trigger for file status change.

Platform Variants

1. Microsoft SharePoint

• Feature: Retention policies API—automate scheduling via Compliance Center, sample: configure ‘On Label Expiry’ trigger for LegalMatterDocs library.
  

2. Google Workspace (Drive API)

• Feature: files.delete, files.update metadata—automating file move to Archive folder and deletion scheduling via Apps Script triggers.
  

3. Box

• Feature: Retention Policy API—automatedly assign policy to “ClosedCases” folder, manage retention schedule.
  

4. Dropbox Business

• Feature: filesDelete, filesMoveV2—set automated flows for archiving subfolders and secure disposal upon workflow event.
  

5. DocuWare

• Feature: Automated workflow designer—archiving/disposal actions triggered by document index status, set expiry dates per compliance norm.
  

6. NetDocuments

• Feature: API for Workspace Cleanup—automating archiving based on workspace, document status flags.
  

7. OneDrive for Business

• Feature: Microsoft Graph API—batch automate move to ‘Legal Archive’ and issue expunge commands on expiry.
  

8. Clio Manage

• Feature: Custom Actions—legal matter closed triggers auto-archiving, API notify assigned user then schedule purge.
  

9. iManage

• Feature: REST API—Matter closing event automates archiving to Records Manager and schedule destruction job.
  

10. Egnyte

• Feature: Automated Lifecycle Management—files auto-archived then deleted using retention policy configuration.
  

11. M-Files

• Feature: Workflow automation—set automatic transition to Archive; post-period automatedly send delete instruction.
  

12. Smartsheet

• Feature: Automated workflows—when task “Retention Met” is checked, move attached file to Archive workspace and delete row.
  

13. AWS S3

• Feature: Object Lifecycle Policies—set automated actions for move to Glacier and then schedule automated deletion.
  

14. Azure Blob Storage

• Feature: Lifecycle management—automate rule to tier files and dispose on a schedule; API action sample: Blob Delete.
  

15. Google Cloud Storage

• Feature: Object Lifecycle Management—automate archive class and scheduled delete with JSON policy file.
  

16. Laserfiche

• Feature: Workflow designer—automated workflow to archive, notify user, and schedule disposal per retention schedule.
  

17. Alfresco ECM

• Feature: Records Management—automate category-based disposal, API for archiving and event-based triggers.
  

18. Zoho WorkDrive

• Feature: APIs moveFile, deleteFile—setup automated policy to archive to ‘Legal Yearly Archive’ folder, then automate delete after set period.
  

19. Citrix ShareFile

• Feature: Automated folder workflow—expire access, send archive notification, move then delete as per compliance.
  

20. Relativity

• Feature: ARM (Archive, Restore & Move) API—automatically archive closed cases, dispose based on retention automation.
  

Benefits

1. Automates compliance, minimizes missed deadlines for file retention or destruction.

2. Reduces legal risk and cost by automating unnecessary storage.

3. Increases audit-readiness with logs of all automated archiving and disposal activities.

4. Enhances operational efficiency for paralegal teams through scheduled, rules-based automation.

5. Demonstrates robust automation of document lifecycle to clients and regulators.