Did you know that the International Council on Archives sets out a 15-step method for developing retention schedules, while practical programs like SecureScan’s show how to turn those schedules into day-to-day processes, and federal inspections have revealed that weak file plans and disposition rules for disaster records can seriously undermine accountability and recovery?

Course Overview

The Advanced Document Control and Records Retention Training Course by Rcademy is designed to equip librarians, secretarial staff, archive managers, information technology staff, registry officers, coordinators of departmental records, operations managers, compliance officers, auditors, quality control specialists, records management specialists, document controllers, government officials, and document administrators with comprehensive understanding of document control and records retention frameworks, lifecycle management from creation to destruction, and retention schedule development aligned with legal and regulatory requirements. Participants gain expert knowledge of translating record-keeping requirements into operational procedures, conducting records inventories and functional classification, assigning retention periods based on legal obligations and operational needs, implementing document control procedures including approval workflows and version control, and designing protection plans for vital documents integrated with disaster recovery planning.​

Without specialized document control and records retention training, professionals may struggle to develop defensible retention schedules that withstand audits, identify vital records and assign clear protection requirements, translate high-level policy statements into concrete day-to-day workflows, configure electronic recordkeeping systems with appropriate retention enforcement, or embed records retention into disaster recovery and continuity plans, limiting their ability to support compliance obligations and reduce risk of non-compliance. This comprehensive course provides a structured path to mastery across document and record definitions, types of records across paper and electronic formats, lifecycle of records including capture and metadata application, creation of documents with naming conventions and version control, rudiments of document control with ISO standards, implementation of document control with approval workflows, storage of records with environmental controls, modern cloud storage with encryption and access controls, records retention strategy including retention schedules, destruction of records with legal holds and certificates of destruction, and records management systems meeting functional requirements, preparing attendees to lead document control configuration and retention policy initiatives.​

Why Select This Training Course?

The Advanced Document Control and Records Retention Training Course covers definition of documents and records including classification schemes, types of records across paper-based, audio-visual, electronic, and micrographic formats, lifecycle of records including capture, registration, classification, storage, access, and secure destruction, creation of documents with naming conventions and metadata capture, rudiments of document control with ISO 9001 and ISO 15489 standards, implementation of document control with approval workflows and distribution lists, storage of records with environmental controls and off-site backup, modern cloud storage with encryption and service level agreements, records retention strategy including conducting records surveys and building retention schedules, destruction of records with legal holds and certificates of destruction, and records management systems meeting ISO 16175 functional requirements with integration to business systems. Participants learn to conduct functional analysis grouping records by function or activity, map record categories to applicable legal and regulatory requirements, assign and document specific retention periods and disposition actions, design check-in/check-out procedures to prevent conflicts, implement master document registers to track controlled documents, and configure automated retention enforcement in electronic systems.​

Real-world cases show how the International Council on Archives provides a structured model for organizations developing retention schedules, advising them to analyze their own functions and activities, then map record series such as financial records, HR files, contracts, and project documentation to those functions before assigning retention rules, with ICA’s guidance showing how corporations, public bodies, and NGOs can justify different retention periods for similar record types based on function and risk.

Studies also show that SecureScan’s work with business clients demonstrates how organizations move from a written retention policy to concrete practices by defining record categories (e.g., customer files, invoices, contracts), assigning retention periods, configuring systems to enforce them, and training staff on day-to-day responsibilities, with their approach highlighting common pitfalls such as keeping everything “just in case” or inconsistent disposal and how disciplined document control and retention can reduce storage, improve retrieval, and strengthen legal defensibility.

Take charge of your document control expertise. Enroll now in the Rcademy Advanced Document Control and Records Retention Training Course to master the lifecycle management skills that drive defensible retention.

Who Should Attend?

The Advanced Document Control and Records Retention Training Course by Rcademy is ideal for:

• Librarians and archive managers
• Secretarial staff and registry officers
• Information technology staff
• Coordinators of departmental records
• Operations managers
• Compliance officers and auditors
• Quality control specialists
• Records management specialists
• Document controllers and administrators
• Government officials
• Legal and regulatory compliance professionals
• Information governance specialists
• Business analysts supporting records programs
• Anyone seeking comprehensive document control certification

What are the Training Goals?

The main objectives of the Advanced Document Control and Records Retention Training Course are to enable professionals to:

• Show the interconnection of document control and records retention to their organizational objectives and how it helps achieve them.
• Utilise and apply important document control and records retention concepts and mechanisms to the organization and management of the documents and records of their organization.
• Discover and analyze the most prevalent reasons for awful document control.
• Advise on the manner and process to improve the control of documents and retention of records.
• Visualise and explain the planning and implementing process of a Document Control and Records Retention (DCRR) solution.

How Will This Training Course Be Presented?

At Rcademy, the extensive focus is laid on the relevance of the training content to the audience. Thus, content is reviewed and customised as per the professional backgrounds of the audience.

The training framework includes:

• Expert-led lectures by records management and compliance professionals using audio-visual sessions
• Hands-on exercises with records surveys, functional classification, and retention schedule development
• Interactive workshops for document control procedure design and metadata schema creation
• Case studies covering ICA retention schedule methodology, SecureScan retention policy implementation, and NARA disaster records management inspection
• Practical simulations for lifecycle management, destruction approval processes, and electronic system configuration

The theoretical part of training is delivered by an experienced professional from the relevant domain, using audio-visual presentations. This document control-focused approach ensures professionals translate theory into practical workflows through retention schedule building, document control procedure implementation, and records management system configuration.​

This comprehensive certification model ensures participants gain both document control and records retention fundamentals and hands-on proficiency to immediately apply lifecycle management expertise in records management, compliance, archive management, and information governance roles.​

Register now to experience a rigorous, hands-on learning journey designed to equip you for leading document control, retention policy design, and compliance management initiatives.

Course Syllabus

Module 1: Definition of Documents

• What is a document?
• What is a record?
• Meaning of documentation
• Historical background of documentation
• Terminologies relating to documentation
• How to identify documents
• Records tracking
• Classification of records
• Management of classified records
• Ensuring the security of classified records
• Distinguishing between documents (general information) and records (evidence of business activity)
• Understanding when a document becomes a record
• Applying classification schemes consistently across the organization

Module 2: Types of Records

• Paper-based records
• Magnetic tapes
• Audio-visual records
• Cartographic records
• Micrographic records
• Scanned images
• Diskettes
• Digital signatures
• Electronic records including emails, databases and collaborative files
• Understanding format obsolescence risks
• Planning for migration of legacy formats
• Maintaining authenticity across different record types

Module 3: Lifecycle of Records

• Identifying the various process in the lifecycle of records
• Capturing of records
• Registering of records
• Records classification
• Records Storage
• Access to records
• Accessibility of records
• Secure destruction
• Best practices in the management of records lifecycle
• Applying metadata at capture to enable retrieval and retention
• Using automated workflows to move records through lifecycle stages
• Regular review of records to determine retention status
• Documenting disposal actions for audit trails

Module 4: Creation of Documents and Records

• Completion and accuracy of records
• Separation of documents and records
• Application of security classification
• Records types: active and inactive record
• Systems of filing
• Naming conventions
• Data capturing
• Indexing
• Storage of files
• Tracking of files
• Establishing standardized naming conventions organization-wide
• Using version control to track document changes
• Implementing check-in/check-out procedures to prevent conflicts
• Capturing metadata automatically at creation point

Module 5: Rudiments of Document Control

• Understanding the basis of document control
• Analysis of document control-related standards
• Identification of the essential document control elements
• Management of deliverables for projects
• Templates for different document types
• Transmission of data and records
• ISO 9001 and ISO 15489 standards for document and records management
• Master document register to track all controlled documents
• Document approval workflows and authority matrices
• Transmittal tracking for external document exchanges

Module 6: Implementation of Document Control

• Setting quality standards for documents
• Ensuring the quality of documents
• Procedures and specifications for controlling documents
• Roles and responsibilities in document control
• Distribution of documents
• Systems for document control
• Defining document controller responsibilities clearly
• Using document management systems to enforce version control
• Restricting editing rights to authorized personnel only
• Distribution lists to ensure stakeholders receive current versions
• Supersession notices when documents are replaced

Module 7: Storage of Records

• Storage facility
• Standards for safety and security
• Standards for preservation
• Preservation for a long-term purpose
• Appropriate storage requirements for various record types
• Easy retrieval of documents
• Centralized storage
• Environmental controls for temperature, humidity and light
• Fire suppression and water damage prevention measures
• Physical security controls including access logs
• Off-site backup storage for vital records
• Regular condition assessments for deteriorating media

Module 8: Modern Document Storage

• Meaning of cloud storage
• Types of cloud storage
• Advantages of Cloud storage
• Disadvantages of cloud storage
• Metadata
• Safety measures for cloud storage
• Facilities for cloud storage
• Personnel expertise required for cloud storage
• Public, private and hybrid cloud options
• Data sovereignty and residency requirements
• Encryption in transit and at rest
• Access controls and multi-factor authentication
• Regular backup verification and disaster recovery testing
• Service level agreements with cloud providers

Module 9: Records Retention

• Inventory updating
• Records retention strategy
• Records infrastructure
• Creation of retention schedules
• Retention of records
• Transfer of records
• Legal and functional requirements
• Plan for disaster recovery
• Policy for retention of records
• Technology automation
• Conducting records surveys to identify what the organization holds
• Aligning retention periods with legal, regulatory and business requirements
• Building retention schedules by record category
• Using retention labels or codes for easy identification
• Triggering retention periods from event dates not creation dates
• Implementing automated retention enforcement in systems
• Regular audits to ensure compliance with retention schedules

Module 10: Destruction of Records

• Timeline of records
• Protection plan for vital documents
• Schedule for the destruction of records
• Approval to destroy records
• Implementation of records disposal
• Compliance and destruction of records
• Proof of termination
• Legal holds to suspend destruction when litigation is anticipated
• Secure destruction methods for confidential records
• Certificates of destruction from approved vendors
• Documentation of what was destroyed, when, by whom and authorization
• Regular disposition reviews to identify records eligible for destruction

Module 11: Records Management Systems

• Electronic recordkeeping system
• Electronic records management and scanning
• Records management
• Implementation of the most suitable system for the organization
• Policy for management of records
• Selecting systems that meet ISO 16175 or DoD 5015.2 functional requirements
• Integration with business systems to capture records automatically
• User training and change management for system adoption
• Regular system audits to verify records are being managed correctly
• Backup and disaster recovery procedures for electronic systems
• Migration planning when changing systems
• Policy governance structure with defined roles and accountability

Training Impact

The impact of Advanced Document Control and Records Retention training is visible in how organizations develop defensible retention schedules and lower compliance risk, implement integrated lifecycle control from creation to secure destruction, and build stronger resilience through records-aware disaster recovery planning.​

International Council on Archives (ICA) – Developing Functional Retention Schedules

Implementation: The International Council on Archives provides a structured 15-step model for organizations developing retention schedules, advising them to analyze their own functions and activities, then map record series (such as financial records, HR files, contracts, and project documentation) to those functions before assigning retention rules. The methodology outlined in these guidelines is consistent with the principles in the International Standard on Records Management ISO 15489 Information and documentation – Records Management. A functional framework has been used to develop the model schedule documenting the business processes carried out by an organization and presenting them hierarchically as functions and activities, where functions are the highest level of business activity or responsibility of an organization, and activities are carried out in performing a function by undertaking tasks or transactions. Records are by-products of carrying out a function/activity and set of related tasks, with a list of functions and activities called a business classification scheme (BCS) providing a functional map of the organization. The model schedule covers nine functions including Conference Management, Education Management, Financial Resources Management, Governance Management, Human Resources Management, Information & Communications Management, Membership Administration, Promotion & Advocacy Management, and Publication Management.​

Results: A retention class in the schedule is made up of a function, activity, record description and a retention action, with the retention action providing direction on the fate of the record, whether it is to be retained permanently or destroyed after being retained for a minimum period. Organizations are advised to follow the 15 steps including gathering sources (constitution, rules, policies, procedures, strategic planning documents, state laws, standards), familiarizing with extant records, checking functions in the model schedule and confirming whether they reflect the organization’s functions, checking activity terms associated with each function, assessing retention actions by considering all possible uses of records including compliance requirements, deciding how to document retention actions, arranging the schedule, adjusting the index, undertaking consultation with key stakeholders, testing the draft schedule against extant records, producing a report, presenting to the governing body for authorization, making it widely available, and ensuring all documentation is retained. ICA’s guidance shows how corporations, public bodies, and NGOs can justify different retention periods for similar record types based on function and risk, an approach this course adopts when teaching participants to design retention schedules for their own companies and institutions. To assist creation the BCS can also be used as a basis for creating a thesaurus or other type of control vocabulary, with undertaking the analysis for the retention schedule providing information on record creation requirements and enabling an assessment of whether full, accurate and complete records are being created to document association activities.​

SecureScan – Translating Policy into Operational Record Control for Businesses

Implementation: SecureScan’s work with business clients demonstrates how organizations move from a written retention policy to concrete practices: defining record categories (e.g., customer files, invoices, contracts), assigning retention periods, configuring systems to enforce them, and training staff on day-to-day responsibilities. A records retention policy is a set of guidelines that determines how long to keep certain records, where to store them, and when to securely dispose of them, helping businesses stay organized, meet legal requirements, and avoid holding onto sensitive documents longer than they should. Every record has a lifespan with some only needing to be kept for a few months, while others must be kept for many years, depending on legal regulations and business needs, ensuring that every record is kept for the proper amount of time, reducing clutter and minimizing compliance risks. The first step in developing a retention schedule is taking stock of all existing records through conducting a thorough inventory to identify what types of documents the business generates and stores, followed by categorizing them based on their function or subject matter, researching legal and regulatory requirements, and assigning a specific retention period to each category.​

Results: Their approach highlights common pitfalls such as keeping everything “just in case” or inconsistent disposal and how disciplined document control and retention can reduce storage, improve retrieval, and strengthen legal defensibility, mirroring the practical methods taught in this course. A well-structured records retention policy should include six essential elements: purpose (clearly outline why the policy exists), definitions (define key terms), roles and responsibilities (assign responsibility to specific individuals or departments), retention schedule (specify how long different types of records must be kept aligned with federal and state retention laws), legal and regulatory requirements (identify specific laws impacting record retention), and secure disposal methods (detail how records should be destroyed). Implementation requires clear communication so employees understand the retention policy, employee training especially for those directly responsible for records management, establishing detailed procedures for how records are created, stored, accessed, and disposed of, monitoring compliance regularly through audits, and enforcing the policy effectively with consequences for non-compliance. Technology makes it easier by automating many manual processes, with most records management systems allowing businesses to categorize and organize records then apply retention rules to each category, with the system automatically following them, storing records for the required time and securely deleting them when no longer needed.​

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) – Disaster Records and Retention in Federal Agencies

Implementation: NARA’s inspection of disaster response and recovery (DRR) records across U.S. federal agencies including FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Business Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of the Interior found inconsistent retention practices and missing documentation of key decisions, expenditures, and communications during emergencies. The inspection primarily focused on records that detail the Federal response and recovery mission areas with emphasis on policies, training, and records schedule implementation of DRR records. NARA found wide policy and procedural gaps between RM programs and DRR operations with little collaboration or cooperation between RM and DRR programs to ensure proper capture and control of records created during DRR incidents. Staff at two agencies questioned the need for active RM in DRR incidents, while several agencies were reviewing their recordkeeping practices for DRR incidents as a result of this inspection. Policies and procedures for coordination between teams and offices in the field and RM staff in Headquarters, regional offices, and host units were lacking.​

Results: Its recommendations establish agency-wide file plans, explicitly define and retain disaster-related records, and integrate these requirements into continuity and recovery plans provide a concrete public-sector example of how national-level bodies address the same document control, retention, and disaster recovery issues that this training course prepares participants to manage in their own organizations. NARA made seven key findings: agency policies and procedures for management of DRR records in incidents need creation, review or revision; agencies do not consistently assign RM responsibilities to staff involved in DRR incidents; staff assigned to DRR incidents did not have agency-specific RM training and guidance; records schedules for DRR records are outdated with retention periods varying between agencies for same or similar records; records schedules for EIS associated with DRR do not exist or are outdated; agencies did not have intellectual control of analog and unstructured electronic DRR records both during and after incidents; and there is lack of clearly defined procedures to capture records created by widespread use of mobile devices or social media platforms in DRR incidents. Agencies must update or create policies for offices and programs engaged in DRR incident activities, assign RM staff to offices involved in DRR activities, require appropriate levels of RM training for all staff assigned to DRR incidents, review and update existing records retention schedules for DRR records, integrate RM programs into development lifecycle of DRR EIS, establish policies for maintaining intellectual control of DRR records, and include instructions for ensuring records created on mobile devices and social media platforms are transferred to agency recordkeeping systems.​

Be inspired by how archives, SecureScan, and NARA turn retention policies into automated, defensible records management. Join the Rcademy Advanced Document Control and Records Retention Training Course to gain the lifecycle management skills that ensure compliance and control.