What is the Document Retention Table?

The document retention schedule is an instrument that makes it possible to establish which are the documents of an entity, how long they should be kept and what procedures should be followed for their conservation. This table is an index of the documents and records that an entity must keep for a given period of time, and serves as a guide for the document archiving process.

This table also helps managers to make decisions about the destruction of documents, as well as to ensure the preservation of important documents, their need and importance in terms of time of conservation and preservation to be done with them once their validity or usefulness is over.

The document retention schedules are defined as the list of series with their corresponding document types, to which the time of permanence is assigned on each stage of the document's life cycle. The document retention schedules establish the retention time of documents and records in accordance with legal, security, auditing and organizational requirements.

With this in mind, one of the most used and useful instruments for your company's document management is the Document Retention Tables, which are a tool that allows, through the serial identification of the information and its respective classification, to establish the time of permanence of the documents, as well as their final disposition.

These tables are a vitally important element for proper document management, as they allow the organization to maintain control over documents, records and other information generated in the organization, as well as to define the steps to be followed for their conservation, preservation and destruction.

That is, through the control and recognition of the information and the organizational structure, it is possible to establish the retention times for each document, as well as the processes and procedures to be followed for its proper management, categorize, select and organize the different documents in order to establish their retention times in the archive and the processes to be followed when their life cycle is over.

Benefits of the Documentary Retention Tables

1. Facilitates information retrieval.

2. Streamlines document production.

3. Facilitates document control and access.

4. Regulates the transfer of documents from the offices to the central archive.

5. Allows for proper final disposition without running the risk of eliminating relevant documentation.

6. Controls and monitors the life cycle of the archives.

7. List in series and types of documents, making a recognition of the organizational structure.

8. Understand and correctly manage the cycles through which a document goes through and the prudential time that should be in each one.

9. Recognize the classification of information according to the need and importance that it represents for the company.

For this reason, within the strategies proposed for document management and the handling of the Document Retention Tables, priority is given to the order and correct use of information, all with the aim of optimizing time, automating tasks and improving effectiveness and efficiency, thus contributing to the economic growth of the company.

The electronic file is a system for storing digital information. This information is stored on electronic devices or in the cloud. The electronic file allows you to store, retrieve, and track documents quickly and easily.

The electronic files are also known as digital files, computer files or computer files. Electronic files allow the indexing of the information, which means you can easily search for and find specific documents. This saves time and effort. In addition, the electronic files can be shared safely and efficiently with other people.