Complying with state & school district policies for retaining trusted records in a central repository
Ensuring compliance & efficiency for long-term records in Microsoft 365
The records team for 150+ public schools chose Preserve365 to ensure they comply with board policies governing the storage of archived records. Digital preservation is now embedded in their Microsoft 356 records process ensuring proper governance for the full records lifecycle. Preserve365, guarantees records will still be secure, can be trusted & are useable when they need them, now and in 30, 40 or even 100 years time. The team know exactly where archived long-term records are and retrieving them for FOIA requests, investigations and legal cases is much faster, simpler and efficient.
Compliance with board policy
Automated archival transfers
Faster discovery & retrieval
Always useable records
Challenge
The school board faced several challenges in managing their digital records while ensuring compliance with board-mandated retention policies. Their policy required that all digital records be stored in a secure central repository, but they lacked tools to protect against file format obsolescence, damage, removal, loss, or corruption.
Ensuring records were properly stored and managed to maintain their integrity, particularly for FOIA requests and investigations, was a critical concern. Decision-makers, including the Chief Operating Officer, recognized the risks posed by file format obsolescence and the need for proactive protection measures.
Additionally, they sought stricter access controls and improved governance for sensitive records. Their retention policy covered records with varying lifespans, including permanent retention, destruction after seven or thirty years, and eventual transfer to the State Archives. The types of records included board and committee meeting recordings and minutes, contracts, legal records, CEO communications, and many more.
Compliance and accountability were also key factors, as the team was required to report annually to the school board, ultimately, failure to follow board directives with regards to records management could result in disciplinary action or termination of employment.
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“With Preserve365 we are making digital preservation part of our Microsoft 356 records workflows. We can guarantee that 30 – 40 years into the future, the data will still be secure, accessible, usable & can be trusted when responding to FOI requests, investigations and legal cases. How do you not do that?”
Records Manager, Public Schools Authority
Solution
Preserve365® embeds the archiving, Digital Preservation and retrieval of critical long-term records into the schools Microsoft 365 experience. With Preserve365, Digital Preservation is integrated directly into the existing SharePoint environment, meaning the district can now protect and maintain the integrity of long-term records at scale with minimal disruption to staff & the wider organization.
The district implemented a structured records disposition and transfer process from SharePoint to the central records repository. With a standardized site, folder, and file structure, 14 departments contribute records to a central repository. As most records originate in SharePoint each department has an assigned liaison officer to work with the records management team.
Once the final version of the record has been declared, it is reviewed by the departmental liaison and the records management team to verify if it should be archived. Records identified for archiving are submitted to a dedicated SharePoint folder, known as the submission repository.
The records team then validates file accuracy and labeling before adding custom metadata, including review date, reviewer, and submission details. Using Preserve365, a copy of each validated record is automatically transferred to the central records repository, while the original remains in SharePoint. Transfers occur on a scheduled basis—monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually—depending on the frequency of record creation.
Record requests, be that in relation to FOIA or from one of the different departments, are directed to and managed by the records team. In very select circumstances, where the retrieval of archived records is needed on a regular basis, authorized staff from other departments are granted access to specific areas of Preserve365. Access is tightly controlled meaning staff can more efficiently find and use archived information in their daily duties without the records team compromising the security and integrity of archived records.
Outcomes
With the new records management process in place, long-term records are now managed in full compliance with board policies. Protection for long-term records is integrated directly into the creation process within SharePoint, ensuring proper governance for the full records lifecycle.
SharePoint records are seamlessly transferred into the central repository, enabling automatic maintenance of accurate, complete, and trusted records.
This improved structure & additional technical capability enhances the organization's ability to quickly locate information for FOIA requests and investigations while also safeguarding institutional knowledge against staff turnover and organizational changes.
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