What is the process for records custodians during the end-of-year closeout?

The process for records custodians during the end-of-year closeout involves transferring physical records to inactive files. This practice is essential as it ensures that records are organized and preserved while transitioning them into a state where they are not actively used but still accessible if needed.

Inactive files are essential for maintaining an organized records management system, allowing for easy retrieval of documents that may need to be referenced in the future, while also clearing out active workspace for current operational records. This process supports efficient record-keeping practices and compliance with regulatory requirements for the management of government records. Transferring records rather than destroying or permanently archiving them also aligns with best practices in records management, ensuring that important historical and operational information remains available and can be accessed when necessary.

In contrast, deleting electronic records or burning physical records would not support proper records management and could lead to a loss of important information, while archiving all records permanently does not align with the goal of organizing records efficiently for active and inactive status.