Initiate a disposition schedule

After you associate a disposition schedule with a record category, record folder, or record type, the system keeps track of the specified event or the date that will trigger the execution of the schedule. When this event occurs or the specified date arrives, the cutoff of records defined in the schedule is triggered. When the cutoff is triggered and offset (if any) specified for records is over, the system automatically performs the cutoff action specified in the schedule. The entities become due for disposition and enter the phase(s) specified in the disposition schedule. Records remain in a phase for the time period that you specify in the retention period of that phase. Once the retention period is over, you must manually initiate the disposition action associated with that phase. The system launches the workflow associated with that disposition action and passes entities to the next phase on approval from an authorized person. When you initiate disposition for an entity, the disposition of all of its child entities is also initiated automatically.

The file plan can be configured to delete both the original declared document and the record metadata (the default) or it might delete only the original declared document while retaining the record metadata. See Configure retaining metadata.

NOTES

To initiate a disposition schedule

  1. Browse or search for entities that are ready for disposition. The ready for disposition icon appears beside entities that are ready: ready for disposition. See How to find entities that are ready for disposition below.
  2. Select the checkboxes to the left of the names. (You can also right-click a single entity and use the context menu.)
  3. From the Multi-Select Actions menu, select Initiate Disposition: Initiate disposition icon
  4. Click OK to acknowledge the message on successful initiation of the disposition schedule. However, if there is some problem initiating the disposition schedule, a failure message displays. To see the reason for failure, click the red asterisk beside the entity name.

How to find entities that are ready for disposition

There is no single property that indicates "ready for disposition," but you can search by using a set of conditions.

You will want to set up a search template to do this on a regular basis. In a search template, leave the current phase execution date blank and make sure it is editable so the user can fill in the current date when using the search.

Another option is to create custom COM events to send mail so the recipient knows what is ready for disposition. Assuming the user is familiar with the file plan structure, he or she should be able to browse to the entity.

Finally, you might also want to use API methods to create custom code that initiates disposition if that is appropriate for your business records.

To view disposition properties

You can view disposition properties such as disposition name, cutoff date of the entity, current phase execution date, current disposition date, current phase decision date, current phase action name, current phase review decision, and last sweep date.

  1. Click the Get Info icon of the entity.
  2. Click the Details link in the left pane.

Conflicting disposition schedules (DOD)

There may be a disposition schedule for a container and a different disposition schedule for a record type that applies to a record within the container. The record cannot be destroyed or exported until the latest date.