Records Management Manual [6.2] Records Life Cycle

Records Management Standards and Procedures
B.C. Ministry of Forests [GIF 1K]

6.2 Records Life Cycle

General

Records are scheduled based on a “life cycle” that consists of the following phases:

Active Records

Active records are assigned a conditional or specific active retention period in accordance with an approved records schedule. They are usually required and referred to constantly for current use and need to be retained and maintained in office space and equipment close to users. Unscheduled records are considered to be active if there are more than 3 references or retrievals per file drawer/shelf per month.

Semi-active Records

Semi-active records are assigned a specific semi-active retention period in accordance with an approved records retention schedule. They are not usually required for current use but still retain primary values for the ministry. Unscheduled records are considered to be semi-active if there are less than 3 references or retrievals per file drawer/shelf per month.

Inactive Records

Inactive records are those for which the active and semi-active retention periods have expired in accordance with an approved records schedule.

Retention schedules and disposition instructions are keyed to these phases to define each record’s life cycle.

References

Administrative Records Classification System manual, Glossary of Terms
Operational Records Classification System manual, Glossary of Terms

Information Management Group, B.C. Ministry of Forests

Comments to: RMHELP
This page last updated: December 31, 1995.
URL: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/manuals/recman/rm6-2.htm