RACO Guidance for Flexible Scheduling David B. Brown, Special Assistant Office of the Archivist – Washington, DC

RACO What is a traditional schedule? Basic unit for organizing and controlling files is a series or electronic system Basic unit for organizing and controlling files is a series or electronic system Agency records series and systems Agency records series and systems are shown as separate items are shown as separate items Usually arranged primarily by organization or function Usually arranged primarily by organization or function

RACO NARA Guidance NARA Bulletin Guidance for Flexible Scheduling NARA Bulletin Guidance for Flexible Scheduling Issued as Memo to Agency Records Officers NWM on April 22, 2005 Issued as Memo to Agency Records Officers NWM on April 22, 2005

RACO What is flexible scheduling? Provides for concrete disposition instructions that may be applied to groupings of information and/or categories of records Provides for concrete disposition instructions that may be applied to groupings of information and/or categories of records The difference from the traditional scheduling approach is that the unit to be scheduled is not the individual records series or an electronic system The difference from the traditional scheduling approach is that the unit to be scheduled is not the individual records series or an electronic system

RACO What is a “big bucket” or large aggregation schedule? Type of flexible schedule Type of flexible schedule Allows disposition instruction(s) to apply to multiple series or systems Allows disposition instruction(s) to apply to multiple series or systems Supports the business needs of agencies Supports the business needs of agencies Provides the documentation necessary to protect legal rights and ensure government accountability Provides the documentation necessary to protect legal rights and ensure government accountability

RACO How do you develop a “big bucket” or large aggregation flexible schedule? Determine if a “big bucket” or large aggregation flexible schedule meets agency business needs Determine if a “big bucket” or large aggregation flexible schedule meets agency business needs Review reliable existing schedules to determine if existing records series can be grouped into “big buckets” or large aggregations Review reliable existing schedules to determine if existing records series can be grouped into “big buckets” or large aggregations Contact your NARA appraisal archivist for consultation and guidance. Contact your NARA appraisal archivist for consultation and guidance.

RACO How do you develop a “big bucket” or large aggregation flexible schedule?, Cont’d Conduct functional or business process analysis Conduct functional or business process analysis Identify records series that come from work process(es) Identify records series that come from work process(es) Determine values for records series and/or larger groupings of records Determine values for records series and/or larger groupings of records

RACO How do you develop a “big bucket” or large aggregation flexible schedule?, Cont’d Group like record series/systems into larger aggregations or buckets Group like record series/systems into larger aggregations or buckets Name these larger aggregations or buckets Name these larger aggregations or buckets Determine the value of records within each aggregation, bucket, or series Determine the value of records within each aggregation, bucket, or series

RACO How do you develop a “big bucket” or large aggregation flexible schedule?, Cont’d Submit schedule to NARA along with any documentation accumulated during the schedule development process Submit schedule to NARA along with any documentation accumulated during the schedule development process –Crosswalks to previously approved schedules –Materials that document the agency’s business process –Information concerning the specific file units subsumed under each aggregation, bucket, or series

RACO What assistance is available from NARA? NARA’s Life Cycle Management Division provides assistance and advice to agency records officers in the Washington, DC, area policy_and_guidance/appraisal_and_scheduling. html NARA’s Life Cycle Management Division provides assistance and advice to agency records officers in the Washington, DC, area policy_and_guidance/appraisal_and_scheduling. html policy_and_guidance/appraisal_and_scheduling. html policy_and_guidance/appraisal_and_scheduling. html The Records Management staff in NARA's regional offices provides assistance to records officers across the country The Records Management staff in NARA's regional offices provides assistance to records officers across the country