Retention deadlines don’t wait — but cleanup often does.
Old files linger in shared drives. Legacy systems cling to outdated data. Backups, emails, contracts, reports — all kept just in case. And even when retention periods expire, hitting delete feels risky.
The real issue isn’t awareness. It’s uncertainty. Data piles up because no one’s sure what can be deleted, what needs to stay, or where even to start. And when retention policies don’t reflect what’s actually in place, the gap between compliance and reality grows.
This session is about closing that gap. Not with theory or massive transformation projects, but with clear, defensible steps: knowing what to keep, what to confidently dispose of.
We’ll explore how to assess, classify, and clean up outdated records across formats, systems, and teams — and how to make defensible deletion an active, ongoing process rather than a one-time effort.
Whether it’s ROT, overloaded repositories, or a backlog that’s been ignored for years, this is about making real progress. Efficiently. Defensibly. Without waiting for the perfect moment.
Key takeaways:
- Build a clear, defensible approach to deletion and how to implement it
- Assess, classify, and act on outdated records
- Turn retention policies into real, system-level actions
- Identify ownership and accountability across complex environments
- Establish a repeatable process that keeps deletion efficient and sustainable
Because retention only works when it’s applied throughout the lifecycle.
