How to determine if a project is ready to archive

  • The project is closed in VantagePoint (this means final payment has been received.)
  • If a project has received final payment but is not closed in Ajera, reach out to A/R

 

Three Main Components of Archiving:

  • Digital (project folder and associated CADD/ GIS files)
  • Physical (Final deliverables, etc.)
  • Redbooks and white (working) folders--May be going away, since these physical books were eliminated through COVID.

 

How to Determine a Destroy Date:

  • General Guideline +7 years from final payment
  • On-Call Task +10 years from final payment
  • Final Design Project +7 years after construction is completed
  • IF a contract stipulates how long Toole Design is to retain project information, always use the contract if it’s longer than these guidelines.

 

Archiving Scenarios:

For Projects with Workbook V3.X or later:

  • The PM, PA, Data and Admin staff should be involved 
  • Use PM Checklist, PA Checklist, and Data and Admin Checklist
  • Go through the steps listed on the Data Tab and the Archiving Checklist Tab of the Project Workbook V3.X for Work Finished and Project Closed

 

For Projects with Workbook V2.X or later:

  • The PM, PA, Data and Admin staff should be involved 
  • Use PM Checklist, PA Checklist, and Data and Admin Checklist
  • Go through the steps listed on the Data Tab of the Project Workbook for Work Finished and Project Closed
  • PM should use Isolated Archiving Checklist in conjunction with Project Workbook V2.X

 

For OLD Projects that are already closed with NO Workbook:

  • If the PM is still at Toole Design reach out to them and ask:
    1. Is the digital project folder ready to archive?
    2. Are there physical files to archive?
  • If the PM is no longer at Toole Design reach out to the Billing Manager or Office Director and ask: 
    1. Is the digital project folder ready to archive?
    2. Are there physical files to archive?
  • Use Data and Admin Checklist
  • PM/ Admin should use Isolated Archiving Checklist 
    1. NOTE: The digital and physical archiving prep stages (most work finished items) will most likely not be applicable.

 

Digital Archiving:

  • The PM should do this if the project was recently closed.
  • If the project is old and the PM no longer works at Toole Design, reach out to the Billing Manager or Office Director to confirm that the files can be archived
  • Coordinate with the GIS and CADD Managers if applicable (to archive files)
  • Once all design files/ graphics have been archived appropriately, reach out to IT to archive the project file off of the active server.

 

Physical File Archiving:

  • Collect files in a box (multiple projects may be in the same box but try to keep projects with similar destroy dates together) 
  • Label the box in permeant marker with:
    • The destroy date MM/YYYY (mandatory) of the most recent documents in box (E.g. if A006 with a destroy date of 05/2020 and A056 with a destroy date of 03/2021, the box would have a destroy date of 03/2021)
    • Project Numbers (mandatory) of documents that are stored in the box 
    • Project names (optional) of documents that are stored in the box 
  • Add any archived boxes to running Excel of archived projects for your office, a XXX Office_Box Archive List template is located in I:\Administrative\File Storage_Long Term save and rename A COPY OF THE TEMPLATE or create your own document that should include:
    1. Location
    2. Destroy Date
    3. Contents Type (Operations, Accounting OR Project)
    4. Name of PM -OR- other knowledgeable staff member if the PM no longer works at Toole Design (Tech Lead, Billing Manager, Office Director, etc.)
    5. Project Number
    6. Project Name/ Description of Contents 

NOTE: Currently Silver Spring is the only Office with Offsite storage.

 

Redbook and White Folder Archiving:

  • Send a list (preferably spreadsheet) to the Silver Spring Office Coordinator and Data Entry Specialist. This document should include:
    1. project number
    2. closeout date
    3. destroy date 
    4. physical file location 
  • Silver Spring Office Coordinator will:
    1. Pull the Redbooks and White Folders to be archived 
    2. Mark them with a Close Out and Destroy Date
    3. Notify the Data Entry Specialist when complete
  • Data Entry Specialist will:
    1. Enter the location of the physical files in Ajera 
    2. Note that the Redbook and White Folder has been archived in Ajera