Retention List - Documents and Records with mandated retention periods

Retention List???? I know that some of the documents on the list have mandated retention periods, such as Customer blue prints, and insp & test records, PPAPS, but how do you determine the retention period of the other documents that have to be retained?

Well, you just ask yourself how long you should keep a record. I assume you're talking quality records. Some will be defined by QS9000 and some by customer or other (government, for example) source. Some will only be defined by you. No magic to help you.

Thank you, If only we had some "Magic" to make this whole process go a little smoother.

when asking how long to keep a record, look at how long it is useful..... Is it fair to Say a customer or your process guy may call 2 years from now and need to see it? is it fair to say after 30 days no-one would ever need it (for instance, something else would take its place. OR.....Once it has been entered into the computer we never go back to the hard copy....so keep it till the end of the day...or till it is entered. Its not cast in stone, if you choose a lousy time frame, change it (up or down).....Make it meaningful...'Cause whatever you choose you and your customers have to live with..Don't save stuff you don't really need.


[This message has been edited by barb butrym (edited 16 August 1999).]

Thanks Barb, but doesn't the computer files also need to be on the retention list and have a specified time for disposal? So the hard copy being destroyed end of day, or once it is entered would be ok, then the electronic data for ????? Anyway I think I am getting the idea If it's not mandated by customer,QS9000 or government standards it's all up to what we decide is a long enough time frame Right?

One of my current ISO clients is a trucking company. I ws talking to the fellow who runs the maintenance. We were talking about the records he keeps of truck checks before going out and the checks coming in. I asked him why he only kept the records for 6 months. He said he used to keep them for 2 years. Then after a couple of years there was too much paper accumulating and reduced it to a year "...since no one asked me anything about any of them in those first couple of years..." Then, a few years later, he said, he reduced it to 6 months because still no one ever asked to see them. No other requirement - so - it made sense to me so 6 months was fine for me, too.

You can go into the details but much comes up to common sense. But - as I always say - Can You Explain This to the auditor?

I was thinking more of backup stuff you didn't need to keep...but yes...if its an electronic record, it needs a retention period...a matrix is the easiest incase you haven't gotten that far yet. Be sure to include what happens at the end of the retention period.....as in shred classified stuff if it applies.

QS requires (in 4.16.1) "The supplier shall eventually dispose of records." That's their liability fear showing.

By the way, see Simple Document Matrix

RIGHT!

ALM