Abandoned or Inactive SharePoint Sites

Function

Administration

PIB

PIB-132

RRSDA Number

2024-001

Department

All University Departments

Description, purpose and use of records

This schedule applies to all inactive or abandoned SharePoint Sites (including, but not limited to Teams sites, Communication Sites, and SharePoint on Premise sites), created by Faculties/Departments/working groups/committees, etc. at SFU.

Sites are created for a variety of business, operational, and academic needs at the university. Some sites may be used extensively over long periods of time, while other sites may only be created for a single, short-term purpose. This schedule applies to both short and long-term sites.

Please note, this schedule does not apply to OneDrive sites, as OneDrive site retention is tied to the account retention rules (as determined by ITS) of the individual account holder.

Retention periods

Records	Active Retention	Total retention	Final disposition
Abandoned or Inactive Site	Date of Last Site Activity + 2 years	Date of Last Site Activity + 2 years	Destroy

Active = Active Retention Period, Keep in Office; Semi-Active = Semi-Active Retention period, transfer to University Records Centre; CY = Current calendar year; CFY = Current fiscal year; CS = Current semester; S/O = Superseded or obsolete; OPR = Office of Primary Responsibility; Non-OPR = All other departments

Authorities

These records are created, used, retained and managed in accordance with the following authorities:

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165)
Limitation Act

Retention rationale

This schedule applies to SharePoint sites that have been abandoned (i.e., sites that have had no activity for a period of two years). As per guidance from ARMD, Site Owners are responsible for ensuring that content (i.e., documents, records, chat conversations, etc.) stored on SharePoint sites follow an approved retention schedule appropriate to the content and context of the records stored on the site. In compliance with the basic limitations period of two years, as defined by the Limitations Act, SharePoint sites may be destroyed at the expiry of the total retention period (date of last site activity + 2 years).

Retention and filing guidelines

SharePoint Site owners are responsible for ensuring site content is managed according to an approved Records Retention Schedule and Disposal Authority.

Site activity is automatically monitored by ITS. After a period of 1 year without activity, site owners will receive an automated email from ITS notifying them that a site they are responsible for is inactive. If no additional action is taken, the site will be flagged as inactive, access to the site will be removed, and a copy of the site content (including documents, teams channel messages, teams private channel messages, etc.) will be made and kept for one additional year. After one additional year (i.e., 2 years from the date the site becomes inactive) the contents will be destroyed.

Status

RRSDA is in force

Approval Date

23 Oct 2024

Last Revised Date