Here Comes the Sun (And New Updates on Best Practices)

New Resource: Outlook Data Files (PST)

An Outlook Data File (PST) is a unique Microsoft file format used to store items like Outlook email messages, Outlook calendar events, Outlook contacts. PST files can be used to backup or export items from users’ email accounts. PST files can provide immense benefits to UW users but they come with a host of liabilities and risk. Our office has created a new resource to make the UW community aware of these and to provide some best practices around the creation, use, and management of these fragile files.

Records Management Month - April

Since 1995, April has been celebrated as Records & Information Management Month for 30 years now. It is a time to recognize the importance of organizing your information and emphasizing the value that organized records can have for an efficient organization. With the ever-changing landscape of state & federal regulation as well as the evolution of so many new digital tools available across the UW, it is now more important than ever to ensure that your data is secure, accessible and readable. Our office remains committed to ensuring compliance with records management standards. In this month of increased awareness, we encourage you to visit our abundant email hub resources, our online trainings and our growing list of resources.

Event Coming Soon: Becoming a Records Detective

Join our live Zoom event to sharpen your skills relating to figuring out retention of all sorts of records. We'll show examples of records we've seen around the university and walk you through the types of questions we ask and the types of data points we consider in order to match materials to records series so that we can determine if they need to stay or go.

Use the link on our trainings page to add it to your Outlook calendar.

UW General Records Retention Schedule Updates

Effective Immediately

Records Management Services has been working diligently to keep our UW General Records Retention Schedule up to date with current processes. So much has changed in the last few years across the University and we have been working hard to ensure that our website and our resources reflect the current state of affairs. We have successfully finished a sweep of our General Office Administration Section as well as our Personnel/Payroll Section and made many changes. Please visit those sections to view all the changes.

The General Schedule is a living and ever-changing document. If you ever have questions about changes that were made or have suggestions for future changes and additions to the General Schedule, please do not hesitate to contact our office: recmgt@uw.edu