Publications and Advice Sheets for Government

Basics of Records Management...

• Benefits of Managing Public Records
• Laws and Rules for Records Management
• What is a Public Record?

Destroying Non-Archival Records...

• Documenting the Destruction of Public Records
• Methods for Destroying Electronic Records
• Methods for Destroying Paper Records
• Strategies for Giving Notice of Destruction of Special Education (SpEd) Records

Developing Records Retention Schedules...

• Checklist for Evaluating New Records Series
• How Minor Updates to Local Government Schedules Are Made
• How to Format Designations
• How to Format Records Series Titles and Descriptions
• Preparing State Agency Schedules for Submission
• State Agency Schedule Approval Process

Disaster Response...

• What to Do with Wet Paper Records

Improving Agency RM Programs...

• Recommended Policies and Procedures for Managing Records
• What are the Leading Practices for Records Management and Retention?
• Examples of Leading Practices in Action

Local Records Grant Program...

• About the Local Records Grant Program
• Can an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) System be Funded by a Technology Tools Grant?
• Can Public Records Request Tracking Software be Funded by a Technology Tools Grant?
• Can Redaction Software be Funded by a Technology Tools Grant?
• Can a Scanner be Funded by a Technology Tools Grant?
• Can Social Media Capture Software be Funded by a Technology Tools Grant?
• Can the Local Records Grant Cover Staff Time?
• How a Digital Imaging Grant Can Help
• How an Organizing the File Room Grant Help
• How a Technology Tools Grant Can Help
• How Local Records Grant Applications are Scored
• How to Request Reimbursement for Your Local Records Grant
• List of Grants Awarded - First Cycle 2018
• List of Grants Awarded - Second Cycle 2018
• List of Grants Awarded - Third Cycle 2019-20
• Preview Digital Imaging Grant Application Questions
• Preview Organizing the File Room Grant Application Questions
• Preview Technology Tools Grant Application Questions
• Tips for Applying for a Digital Imaging Grant
• Tips for Applying for an Organizing the File Room Grant
• Tips for Applying for a Technology Tools Grant

Organizing and Inventorying Records...

• Benefits of Using Washington State Archives' Boxes

• How Often Should Records/Data Be Inventoried?

• Selecting Appropriate Shelving for Records Storage

• What Should Agencies Include in a Records/Data Inventory?

Transferring Archival Records...

• Benefits of Transferring Records to the Archives
• How to Complete a Digital Transfer Inventory Sheet
• How to Fill Out a Records Transmittal and Box Content List
• Preparing Digital Records for Archival Transfer
• Preparing Paper Records for Archival Transfer

Electronic Records Management...

• Analog Audio/Visual Recordings - Recommendations & Best Practices

• Appropriate Use of Portable Media (CDs, DVDs, Flash Drives)

• Are Emails Public Records?

• Are Text Messages Public Records?

• Are Voicemails Public Records?

• Basics of Managing Voicemail Records

• Blogs, Wikis, Facebook, Twitter & Managing Public Records

• Can Paper Records Be Destroyed After Imaging/Scanning?

• Capture and Retention of Text Messages

• Digital Audio/Visual - Recommendations & Best Practices

• Factors Affecting the Cost of Digitizing Paper Records

• Hard Drives and Multipurpose Copiers/Scanners

• How Long Do Backups Need to Be Kept?

• How Long Do Chat/Instant Messaging Records Need to Be Kept?

• How Long Do Database Records Need to be Kept?

• How Long Do Emails Need to be Kept?

• How Long Do Text Messages Need to be Kept?

• How Long Do Voicemails Need to be Kept?

• Keep Electronic Records in Electronic Format

• Keep the Last Email or All Emails in the Thread?

• Managing Public Records Created or Received as Text Messages

• Strategies for Managing Chat/Instant Messaging Retention

• Strategies for Managing Voicemail Retention

• Text Messages and Public Records - The Basics

• Websites are Public Records

• What Happened to the EIS/DAD Approval Process?

Using Records Retention Schedules...

• How Long Do Associated Student Body (ASB) Records Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do COVID-19 Pandemic Records Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do COVID-19 Contact Tracing Logs and Screening Records Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do Drone Operation Records Need to Be Kept by Local Governments?
• How Long Do Drone Operation Records Need to Be Kept by State Agencies?
• How Long Do Drone Recordings Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do Police Body Cam Recordings Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do Police Dash Cam Recordings Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do Police Drone Recordings Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do Police Radar Calibration Records Need to Be Kept?
• How Long Do Position Recruitment Records Need to Be Kept by Local Governments?
• How Long Do Position Recruitment Records Need to Be Kept by State Agencies?
• How Long Do School District P-223 Forms Need to Be Kept?
• How to Research Previous Retention Schedules
• Notorious/Historically Significant...
  • Law Enforcement Incidents
  • Case Files/Inmate Records
  • Court Exhibits and Recordings of Proceedings
  • Legal Case Files
• Records of Survey Filed with the County Auditor (Paper vs. Mylar)
• Strategies for Managing Sensitive Payment Cardholder Data
• Student Cumulative Folders vs. Official Student Records
• What are Personnel Files?
• What Does "Until No Longer Needed for Agency Business" Mean?
• What To Do With Non-Work-Related Appointments in Calendars
• What To Do With Public Defender Case Files and Indigence Determination Records
• What To Do With State Publications
• What To Do With Subject Files
• What To Do When a Student Moves to a New District
• Which Litigation Case Files are "Significant"?
• Which Records Series (DANs) Do Law Enforcement Agencies Use for Employee Misconduct Records?
• Which Retention Schedules Apply to Financial Records?
• Which Retention Schedules Apply to Payroll Records?
• Which Retention Schedules Apply to Personnel Records?
• Which Retention Schedules Do Community and Technical Colleges Use?
• Which Retention Schedules Do Law Enforcement Agencies Use?
• Which Retention Schedules Do Public Libraries Use?
• Which Retention Schedules Do Schools Use?
• Why Isn't There Just One "Transitory" Records Series?