Transferring Records
Step 1 - What records should be transferred to the Records Center?
The Records Center provides secure long-term storage for campus business and academic records. These records are governed by retention guidelines which require retention of the material to be legally or fiscally compliant with laws and regulations. Inactive records which are not frequently consulted should be transferred to the Records Center where they can be stored securely and disposed of appropriately at the end of their retention period.
Records should be organized in accordance with the Board of Regents Retention Guidelines. Please consult these guidelines to determine the recommended classification and retention for your records.
Examples of the kinds of materials housed in Records Center storage:
- Personnel records
- P-card statements
- Research grant accounting records
- Payroll documents
- Student financial aid records
- International student records
- Budget planning
- Student academic records
- Admissions records
- Safety records related to hazardous materials
- Incident and/or arrest reports
- Audit records
- Affirmative action records
Examples of things not to retain:
- Copies of reports that can be regenerated from electronic resources
- Material which duplicates GT Library or Archives holdings (e.g. old Fact books, Institute or departmental annual reports)
- Records material whose retention has expired
- Blank or unused forms
- Old letterhead stationary
Step 2 - Organize your records
Records should be organized into sets which are identical in form and/or function, and have the same date range or fiscal year.
Indicate the earliest and latest dates of the records in each box. The latest date of the record(s) will be used to establish the review/destroy date.
Do not combine different kinds of records in the same box.
Enter any additional information about the records that will allow for efficient and effective searches & retrievals.
The official title of a record group is determined in accordance with Board of Regents Retention Guidelines. Please consult Archives and Records Management staff if you do not know the official title for a group of records.
Step 3 - Packing & labeling boxes
Do not put ring binders or hanging folders into the boxes. Lids to need completely close in order to fit Record Center shelving. Remove the contents of ring binders and hanging file folders and place in regular file folders. Be sure to label new folders appropriately. Boxes can be filled with crumpled paper to ensure files stand up.
Records must be packed in standardized boxes designed to fit the Records Center's shelving. Please use the following types of boxes, available through Office Depot:
- Item #940338 Storage file with attached lid
(this is a 10"H x 12"W x 15"D box) or - Item #940320 Storage file with lift off lid
(this is a 10"H x 12"W x 15"D box)
The above boxes are kraft brown and are of medium weight. They will accommodate both legal and letter sized documents. Record boxes which do not meet these criteria cannot be accepted for storage in the Records Center and will be returned to the department of origin.
Use adhesive box labels, Avery label 5168 ONLY to print label. Labels can also be obtained from records management staff. Record boxes without this adhesive label will be returned to the department of origin. Each box label must include the following:
- Department
- Record type or series
- Retention number
- Inclusive dates of retention number
- Filing order of contents
- Individual box number and total number of boxes per record group
Labels should be placed on the short end of the box.
Note: Records Center Staff will label the boxes with the Accession number.
Step 4 - Complete the Record Transfer Form
A Record Transfer Form must be completed and sent to the Archives and Records Management Department before records can be transferred to the Records Center. A Transfer Form must be prepared for each record type or series that is being transferred.
The transfer memorandum must include the following:
- Office of origin
- Departmental records coordinator (Please note that this individual must be authorized to request retrieval of records and to ultimately authorize their destruction.)
- Telephone number of records coordinator
- Campus building and room number
- Date and number of boxes to be transferred
- Record type(s) or series per University System of Georgia Guidelines
- Inclusive dates of records
- Filing order of records (e.g. numerical, alphabetical)
- Indicate the retention guideline under which the records are held
Be sure that your box numbers on the form correspond with the numbers on your boxes. This form should be as detailed as you think is necessary for you to retrieve information should you need it later.
Complete and return to:
Archives and Records Department, Mail (MC
0900) or
FAX 404-894-9421
This tells us your boxes are ready to be picked up. Specify the location of the boxes on the form. Keep a copy of the Record Transfer Form for your records.
After the boxes have been shelved in the Records Center you will receive an Accession Confirmation which lists the storage locations assigned to your boxes. File this with your copy of the Record Transfer Form. You will need to use this information to request records to be sent back to you.
Step 5 - Transfer to Records Center
After receiving a completed Record Transfer Form from your department, Records Management staff will arrange for the pick up and transport of your records boxes to the Records Center.
If your department is transferring 20 or more boxes, pick up will be handled by Georgia Tech facilities and a nominal fee will be charged to your department's account.
An accession number will be assigned to each transfer. Details of the transfer will be entered into the Records Center database. After the boxes have been shelved in the Records Center you will receive an Accession Confirmation which lists the storage locations assigned to your boxes. File this with your copy of the Records Transfer Memorandum. You will need to reference these locations whenever you retrieve your records.
Transfer Assistance:
Archives and Records Management staff can assist in the transfer of
relatively small groups of records. If you have fewer than 20 boxes,
transfer assistance is available free of charge.
For larger transfers, we employ the assistance of the Georgia Tech Facilities Staging crew. In these instances, labor charges for their work will be billed to your department.
