When your Records Control Schedule changes, you need to communicate those changes to staff quickly and clearly. A poorly written announcement leads to confusion, noncompliance, and records sitting in limbo while people figure out what they're supposed to do.
This template gives you a standardized memo format for announcing schedule updates. It covers the essential elements: what changed, why it matters, what staff need to do, and where to get help.
Purpose of the Template
Use this memo template when you've received approval for:
- New disposition authorities that supersede existing items
- Updates to retention periods or cutoff triggers
- Newly scheduled record series
- Implementation of new General Records Schedule transmittals
- Removal of obsolete authorities
The template works for both major schedule overhauls and targeted updates to specific record series. Customize the detail level based on scope.
Prerequisites
Before you draft your announcement:
Confirm approval status. Don't announce a schedule change until you have written approval from NARA (for federal agencies) or your organization's records committee. The approval date becomes your implementation date reference.
Update your systems first. Your records disposition manual, classification scheme, and any records management applications must reflect the new authorities before staff receive the memo. Announcing changes that aren't yet visible in your system creates confusion.
Identify affected staff. Know which departments, programs, or offices own the records covered by the update. Tailor your distribution and follow-up accordingly.
Prepare supporting materials. Staff will need access to the updated schedule, file plan guidance (if applicable), and training resources. Have links or attachments ready before you send.
The Template
MEMORANDUM FOR: [Distribution List or "All Staff"]
FROM: [Your Name, Title]
SUBJECT: Updated Records Disposition Requirements, [Brief Description]
DATE: [Issue Date]
Purpose:
This memo announces changes to our Records Control Schedule, approved [approval date]. The updates affect [record series name(s) or functional area]. All staff who create or maintain these records must implement the new disposition requirements immediately.
What Changed:
[For each affected item, provide:]
- Record Series: [Series title and previous authority number]
- Previous Disposition: [Old retention and disposition instruction]
- New Disposition: [New retention and disposition instruction, including authority citation]
- Reason for Change: [Brief explanation, e.g., "Superseded by new GRS transmittal," "Revised to align with updated business process," "Previously unscheduled records now covered"]
Superseded/Obsolete Authorities:
The following disposition authorities are no longer valid:
- [Authority number and title]
- [Authority number and title]
Remove references to these authorities from your file plans and local guidance documents.
Action Required:
- Review your current holdings. Identify records covered by the updated schedule.
- Apply new disposition instructions. For records created after [approval date], follow the new retention periods and cutoff triggers.
- Address records in progress. [Specify whether in-process records follow old or new schedule; this depends on your cutoff methodology]
- Update local file plans. If your office maintains file plans or disposition guides, revise them to reflect the new authorities.
Training and Resources:
- Updated Records Control Schedule: [Link or location]
- File plan guidance: [Link or location]
- Training session: [Date/time/registration link, if applicable]
- Questions: Contact [name/email/phone]
Implementation Date: [Effective date; typically the approval date or a specified future date if transition time is needed]
Records managers in each office are responsible for ensuring staff understand and apply these changes. If you're uncertain how the new schedule affects your records, contact [records management office contact] before taking disposition action.
[Your signature block]
Customizing the Template
Adjust detail based on impact. If the change affects three record series in one department, keep it brief. For a comprehensive schedule revision, add an executive summary section and consider breaking the "What Changed" section into functional categories.
Clarify cutoff implications. Specify whether existing records follow the old schedule through their lifecycle or switch to the new schedule mid-stream. This depends on your cutoff methodology. If you use event-based retention with annual cutoff, you might apply new schedules to all records regardless of creation date. If you use creation-date cutoff, records created before the approval date typically stay on the old schedule.
Add disposition action deadlines if relevant. If the update shortens retention periods and makes existing records eligible for disposition, tell staff when they need to complete disposition reviews. Don't leave eligible records sitting indefinitely.
Link to change request process. NARA regulations require agencies to review schedules ten years old and older every five years. Between formal reviews, staff often spot issues that need schedule updates. Include information about your Records Disposition Change Recommendation process so staff know how to flag problems.
Tailor training detail. If the change is complex or affects high-risk records, schedule mandatory training sessions and list them in the memo. For straightforward updates, a link to written guidance may suffice.
Validation Steps
Before you send:
Cross-check authority numbers. Every new disposition instruction must include the correct NARA-approved authority citation. Transposed numbers cause compliance problems.
Verify system updates. Log into your records management application and confirm the changes are live. If staff look up a record series and see old information, your memo loses credibility.
Test your links. Click every hyperlink in the memo. Broken links to the updated schedule or training materials undermine implementation.
Review with legal if retention shortened. If you're reducing retention periods, legal counsel may need to confirm no litigation holds or regulatory preservation obligations conflict with the new schedule.
Confirm distribution list. Missing a department that owns affected records guarantees noncompliance in that area. Double-check your audience.
Send the memo, then follow up. Schedule check-ins with high-volume record creators two weeks post-implementation to confirm they've applied the changes. Proactive schedule management isn't just about getting NARA approval. It's about making sure your staff actually use the new authorities correctly.
