The retention and disposition schedules produced by the Government Records Section are format-neutral, so specific types of electronic records like databases or spreadsheets or PDFs are not listed in the schedule. Instead, what matters is the content of the records. So a PDF that is the record copy of a governing board’s minutes should be retained permanently.

The Digital Records Section has produced a number of best practices and guidance documents for the creation and maintenance of electronic records.

We encourage all institutions of higher education, especially those that have electronic records they must retain for longer than 10 years, to have an approved electronic records policy in place. To assist in this process, we have produced a sample policy that identifies the issues and procedures that should be addressed.

• Sample Electronic Records and Imaging Policy for Use by North Carolina Institutions of Higher Education

Records management analysts are available to review drafts of these policies. Once it is complete and approved at the institutional level, it should be submitted for the approval of the Assistant State Records Administrator. Policies may be submitted in electronic form via e-mail to a Records Management Analyst or in written form:

State Records Center
4615 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4615

If institutions of higher education have paper records you wish to scan and retain electronically rather than on paper, in addition to having an approved electronic records policy, you must also get your institution’s records officer to approve the Authorization to Destroy Paper Records.