Arquitecto

Records Management retention scheduling
6. Project records

© Crown copyright 2012 You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Where we have identified any third-party copyrightinformation, you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available for download at nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Records Management retention scheduling 6. Project records

Contents
1 2 3 4 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2 Minimum retentionperiods ...................................................................................................... 3 Scheduling the records of individual projects .......................................................................... 4 Glossary .................................................................................................................................. 5 Other publications andfurther information .............................................................................. 7

Project records model disposal schedule....................................................................................... 9

1
1.1

Introduction
The following guidance is aimed at Departmental Record Officers and their staff and also staff in government departments and agencies whohave responsibilities for project management. It covers records in all media generated by all kinds of projects, from simple undertakings such as the publication of government reports to large projects such as building construction.

1.2

This guidance should be read in conjunction with other publications in this series, in particular: Buildings records retention schedule Accounting recordsretention schedule Contractual records retention schedule

1.3

A project is a management approach designed to bring about a change. It provides a framework bridging the current state of affairs and a planned future. Once achieved, the framework has served its purpose. All projects are finite and the records that they produce are of minimal business use afterwards.

Last updated June 2004Page 2 of 11

Records Management retention scheduling 6. Project records

2
2.1

Minimum retention periods
There are many record types common to most projects. Their retention periods are usually determined by legislation or by general records schedules used throughout government. For example, accounting and other financial records are largely covered by the Limitation Act 1980. See alsoAccounting records retention schedule.

2.2

Many records will be unique to a particular project, such as technical documents, maps or plans. The retention of these records may be determined by the nature of the project and also by historical considerations. For example, the documents of a major government building project such as the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London are likely tobe retained for longer than those for the refurbishment of a government office block. Some records of major building projects are likely to be worthy of permanent preservation or will need to be retained for the lifetime of the facility. See Buildings records retention schedule.

2.3

The most important factors to consider when deciding appropriate retention periods for project records are:the significance of the contribution made by the project to the functions performed by the creating organisation the importance of the project to the development of the department or agency within the government infrastructure any residual value to the creators

2.4

The model schedule in this guide reflects minimum retention periods for various categories of records. Departments and agencies...