The following are examples of folder structures for different types of records. If you are unsure about how your records fit in, contact us.
Also check out our file/folder naming conventions.
Click on the icons below to jump to specific folder structure examples by category.
State-Budget Financial
Research and Grants/Contracts
Student and Curriculum
Personnel and Payroll
General Office Administration
Fixed in time
Possible Cutoffs
- End of biennium
- End of fiscal year
- End of fiscal year in which approved
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Year
Folder Name
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Budget Records
FY2021
01-2345
98-7654
FY2020
Includes
- Accounts Receivable
- Animal Request/Order Forms
- Bank Records
- Billing Source Documents
- Budget Preparation Files/Working Papers
- Budget Requests -- Final
- Budget Revision Documentation
- Cash Transmittals
- Check Requests
- Financial Records for State and Non-Grant Budgets
- General Ledgers
- Journal Vouchers (JVs)
- Parking Validation Log
- Petitions and Waivers
- Petty Cash Vouchers
- Recharge/Service Center Amortization Schedules, Fee Rate Analysis and Schedules
- Refund Records
Event based
Possible Cutoffs
- Award of bid or solicitation cancelled
- Budget closed
- Debt paid or determined uncollectable
- Funds dispersed
- Resolution of audit issues
- Submission of request
- Termination of authorization
- Until superseded
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Active
Folder Name
Closed
Year
Folder Name
Year
For example:
State Audit Reports
Open
Culinary History Program
Completed
2021
Economics of Food Program
2020
Includes
- Audit Reports
- Bid Documents
- Budget Number Requests
- Collections Files
- Consolidated Budget Status Report
- Delegation of Authority
- Endowment Fund Records
- NSF Checks
- SAF Budget Requests
Fixed in time
Possible Cutoffs
- End of academic year
- End of calendar year
- End of fiscal year
- End of quarter
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Year
Folder Name
Folder Name
Year
For example:
GCCRs
FY2021
Fatimah Erikson
Andrew Wilson
FY2020
Includes
- Faculty Effort Certification (FEC)
- Grant and Contract Certification Report
- Indirect Cost -- Allowable Expense Reports
- Indirect Cost -- Staff Activity Surveys
Event based
Possible Cutoffs
- Application withdrawn
- Close of study
- Close of study/ study termination
- Denial/ notification of denial
- Repository closed
- Resolution of audit issues
- Return from trip
- Submission of a financial status report
- Submittal
- Termination of funding period
- Termination of grant
- Termination of project funded by award
- Termination or expiration of instrument
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Active
Folder Name
Closed
Year
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Research Records
Open Studies
Humpback Population
Closed Studies
2021
Paddlefish Extinction
2020
Includes
- Accounts Receivable
- Applications and Administration Records for Grants/Contracts and Internal (UW) Research Support Funds
- Audits - Sponsored Programs
- Billing Source Documents for Grants/Contracts
- Certificate of Exemption for Human Subjects Research
- Conflict of Interest Files (COI)
- Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight Research Application Files
- Export Control Records for Grants/Contracts
- Field Advances
- Financial Records for Grants/Contracts
- Human Subjects Research: Consent Forms
- Human Subjects Research: Deliverables
- Human Subjects Review Committee Applications
- Project Review Forms (for Use of Animals in Research)
- Registry Consent Forms
- Repository Consent Forms
- Research Data -- Drug Development
- Research Records and Data
- Time Reporting (ETR/PTR) for Grants/Contracts
- Visa Travel Records
Fixed in time
Possible Cutoffs
- Completion of application/
admission process - End of academic year
- End of calendar year
- End of quarter
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Year
Folder Name
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Placement Exams
2020-21
Marcela Garces
Latosha Allen
2019-20
Includes
- Admission Applications -- Not Accepted, Not Entered, or Application Incomplete
- Course Evaluations
- Credit by Exam Applications
- Curriculum Committee Reports
- Exams, Answer Sheets, Proficiency Placement & Credit by Exam, Papers, Projects, and Other Assignments by Students
- Grade Books and Grade Confirmation Reports
- Outreach Programs
- Program Review and Evaluation
- Reference Letters (Students)
- Registrar's Statistical Reports
- Scholarships/
Assistantship/ Fellowship/ Traineeship/ Research Award/ Student Award by Department -- Denied - Special Educational Forums, Events and Activities
- Student Employment Recruitment Files
- Textbook Orders and Desk Copy Requests to Publishers
- Time Schedule Changes (Requests for Change in the Quarterly Time Schedule)
Event based
Possible Cutoffs
- Completion of course/
program/ trip - Course no longer offered
- Date of accreditation
- Date of graduation, degree awarded, or last activity/
contact - Issue resolved/
disciplinary action taken - No longer needed for agency business/
administrative purpose served - Proposal approved
- Proposal denied
- Return of equipment
- Tenure approved or denied
- Termination of agreement/
award - Until superseded
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Active
Folder Name
Closed
Year
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Change of Major Forms
Active
Jess Marillo
Graduated
2021
Faraj Modestas
2020
Includes
- Accreditation Documentation
- Admission Applications -- Enrolled Students
- Advisor's Files
- Agreements for Programs or Curriculum
- Award Files
- Continuing Education Course Records
- Course Comment Sheets
- Course Materials
- Curriculum Proposals
- Declaration/
Change of College, School and/or Major Forms - Degree Applications
- Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) Report
- Disciplinary Cases/
Investigations - Equipment Requests
- Field Trip Permission Slips
- Grade Appeals and Grievance Files
- Grade Sheets (Instructor's Grade Report Sheet)
- Petitions and Waivers: Student
- Resident Physician/
Medical Student Evaluations - Scholarships/
Assistantship/ Resident/Fellowship/ Traineeship/ Research Award/ Student Award Records - Student Folders -- Enrolled, Non-Academic, Non Matriculated and Visiting Students
- Student Tickler File
- Theses and Dissertations
- Transcripts (Permanent Student Record)
Fixed in time
Possible Cutoffs
- Ballots counted
- Date of receipt
- End of calendar year
- End of fiscal year
- End of month
- End of quarter
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Year
Folder Name
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Outside Work Approvals
2021
Jun Huang
Yvonne Dussault
2020
Includes
- Ballots for Appointment, Promotion or Tenure
- Check Registers
- Faculty Request for Outside Work Approval (Form 1460)
- Resumes -- Unsolicited
- Time Reporting (ETR/PTR)
- Time Sheets for Work Study Students (On-Campus Time Sheets)
- Volunteer Applications -- Not Accepted/Withdrew
Event based
Possible Cutoffs
- Audit completed
- Completion of next evaluation
- Completion of recruitment/
search/ hiring process - Completion of review
- File/
case closed - Issue resolved/
completed or withdrawn - Paid in full
- Salary increase
- Services completed
- Termination of employment
- Transaction captured by opus
- Until superseded
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Active
Folder Name
Closed
Year
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Personnel Folders - Staff
Current
Emily Alves
Separated
2021
Nicolas Arvidsson
2020
Includes
- Affirmative Action Plans
- Applicant Flow Reports
- Application/
Recruitment/ Selection/ Hiring/ Search Committee Records - Background Checks for Academic Appointments
- Complaint Files Investigated by Human Resources or CRIO
- Disciplinary Actions
- Faculty Adjudication Files
- Faculty Reviews
- Grievance Files (Staff Employee Complaint Files)
- IACUC Letters of Commendation, Acknowledgement, Counsel and/or Reprimand and/or Suspension
- Job Descriptions
- Orientation and Training Files
- Overpayment Repayment Option Documentation
- Payroll Folders -- for Individual Employees
- Performance Evaluations
- PERMs (Post Entry Review Messages)
- Personnel Records for All Categories of Employees
- Reclassification Documents
- Request for Outside Work Approval -- Professional and Classified Staff
- Research, Scientific or Scholarly Misconduct Allegations
- Salary Increase Worksheet
- Tenure/
Promotion/ Merit Pay Evaluations and Tenure Appeals - Time Records for Classified and Professional Staff
- Volunteer Records
- Workers Compensation (L&I) Forms
Fixed in time
Possible Cutoffs
- Award presented
- End of academic year
- End of calendar year
- End of event
- End of fiscal year
- End of month
- End of quarter
- End of reporting period
- Votes counted
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Year
Folder Name
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Annual Reports
2021
Annual Customer Stats
Engagement Survey
2020
Includes
- Annual Reports
- Award Files
- Ballots
- Banquet Permit to Serve Alcohol, Authorization to Apply for
- Board of Regents
- Calendars, Appointment Books, Daily Schedules, Telephone Logs
- Committees/
Councils/ Teams/ Faculty and Staff Meetings - History Files
- Incident Reports
- Legislation, Regulations, Rules -- Monitoring/Tracking
- Lost and Found Records
- Monthly/
Quarterly Reports - Planning/
Project Files - Property Activity Requests
- Room Assignment Requests
- Shredding/
Recycling Log - Statistics
- Surveys/
Questionnaires - Temporary Food Event Form
Event based
Possible Cutoffs
- Administrative/
reference purpose served - Date of event/
facility used - Date of publication
- Disposition of last record on accession confirmation
- Equipment inventory report is verified
- Expiration of lease
- Job complete
- Publication or video no longer in use
- Request closed/
denied - Service date
- Surplus of equipment
- System replaced/
no longer used - Termination of contract/
litigation/ policy - Testimony/
opinion provided - Until processed/
transferred - Until superseded
Use Folder Structure
Model structure:
Record Type
Active
Folder Name
Closed
Year
Folder Name
Year
For example:
Contracts
Active
Scanning Vendor
Expired
2021
In-Person Event Planner
2020
Includes
- Brainstorming and Collaborating
- Building Leases
- Contracts and Agreements
- Donor Files
- Equipment Inventory, Asset Control Sheets, and Service/
Maintenance Records - Expert Witness
- Help Desk Requests
- Insurance
- Invention Disclosure Package
- Litigation Files/
Subpoenas - Model Release Forms
- Organization Charts and Listings
- Organizing/
Monitoring Work in Progress - Photographs and Recordings
- Policies and Procedures
- Public Records Requests
- Publications Production Records
- Records Center Storage Documentation
- Records Retention Schedules
- Request for Use of University Facilities
- Scheduling
- Space Survey
- Technical System Documentation
- WAC Files