Joan, this is Bill in the Physics Department. These National Science Foundation guidelines for document retention have my head spinning.
So you decided to call your favorite grants officer for help?
That was the idea.
What if I told you that, if you've been saving your documents, e-mails, and pointers to research notebooks in the right place, you don't have to worry?
Well, if it handles all the special cases, such as what happens when the principal investigator leaves campus—why, Joan, I'd be so glad, I might marry you!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha! Seriously, Joan, I'm a lonely man.
I'll pretend I didn't hear you say that. Back to the task at hand. If what I told you were true—
Hell's bells, Joan, that's terrific news! But how does it work?
A friend of mine at another campus owed me a favor, so he sent me the information.
What, some document from the NSF?
No, silly! Something better! I got the rules in a form that makes the Xythos Enterprise Document Manager enforce them automatically!
Scout's honor? How does that work?
Simple. I take the XML file that Rinaldo sent me—
Wait, your friend is named Rinaldo?
Why is that hard to believe? Anyway, I take the XML file that contains an exported version of the rule, import it into Xythos Enterprise Document Manager through the admin UI, and sooner than you can say “I like Ike,” we have the same rule in our system!
That's more amazing than atomic fission, Joan! Since I'm a technical kind of guy, I'm kind of curious—what does this XML file look like?
It's hard to explain over the phone...
Try me.
Well, OK. Here's what the XML file contains:
<?xml
version="1.0"?>
<DocumentRepository>
<RetentionPhase
name="NSF - 1, basic retention" Description="Financial
records, supporting documents, statistical records and other
records pertinent to a grant will be retained by the grantee for a
period of three years from submission of the Final Project Report
described in GPM 342, "Final Project Report,"
except that: GPM 342, "Final Project Report,"
except that:

 1. records related to audits,
appeals, litigation or the settlement of claims arising out of the
performance of the project will be retained until such audits,
appeals, litigation or claims have been disposed of; and

2. records related to projects subject to special program income
provisions (GPM 753, "NSF Policy") will be
retained for three years beyond the end of the award
period.

">
<RetentionStep
Type="TimerRetentionStep">
<Day>0</Day>
<Month>0</Month>
<Year>3</Year>
</RetentionStep>
<RetentionStep
Type="TaskRetentionStep">
<TaskName><![CDATA[NSF,
no audits, appeals, litigation or the settlement of
claims]]></TaskName>
<Ability><![CDATA[Manage
research
documentation]]></Ability>
</RetentionStep>
<RetentionResult
Type="DestroyRetentionResult">
</RetentionResult>
</RetentionPhase>
<RetentionPhase
name="NSF - 2, PI leaves" Description="When the
principal investigator leaves the university, transfer the
content. You may leave the metadata in the
system.">
<RetentionStep
Type="TaskRetentionStep">
<TaskName><![CDATA[Principal
investigator leaves]]></TaskName>
<Ability><![CDATA[Manage
research
documentation]]></Ability>
</RetentionStep>
<RetentionResult
Type="TransferRetentionResult">
<Location><![CDATA[Other
university]]></Location>
</RetentionResult>
</RetentionPhase>
<DispositionRule
name="NSF-funded research, supporting documentation"
Description="Cut off when submitted. This disposition rule
has two phases, each representing a different type of
funding.

(1) If basic funding, then wait for 3
years after the final project support.

(2) If
special funding, wait 3 years after the end of the granting
period.

In both cases, there has to be
confirmation that there is no outstanding audit, litigation, or
claim that would put a hold on supporting documentation.">
<Cutoff
CutoffCriteriaMode="0">
<CutoffCriteria
Type="TaskCutoffCriteria">
<TaskName><![CDATA[NSF,
regular funding, final report
submitted]]></TaskName>
<Ability><![CDATA[Manage
research
documentation]]></Ability>
</CutoffCriteria>
<CutoffCriteria
Type="TaskCutoffCriteria">
<TaskName><![CDATA[NSF,
special funding, end of funding
period]]></TaskName>
<Ability><![CDATA[Manage
research
documentation]]></Ability>
</CutoffCriteria>
<CutoffCriteria
Type="TaskCutoffCriteria">
<TaskName><![CDATA[NSF,
principal investigator
leaves]]></TaskName>
<Ability><![CDATA[Manage
research
documentation]]></Ability>
</CutoffCriteria></Cutoff>
<RetentionPhase
name="NSF - 1, basic
retention">
</RetentionPhase>
<RetentionPhase
name="NSF - 2, PI
leaves">
</RetentionPhase>
</DispositionRule>
</DocumentRepository>
I'm amazed at how clearly you communicated that!
Thanks. It's a relatively simple XML structure. It defines two disposition phases which are part of the same disposition rule. It also defines the abilities needed to trigger important lifecycle events, or handle final disposition, such as deleting the content.
But I'll never be able to use this XML content myself.
You won't need to. This information is what the Xythos Enterprise Document Manager needs. All you need to know is that the system understands the rule, and will take care of everything behind the scenes.
Incredible! Can you tell me where to get this file? I might want to send it to my colleague at State University. They use Xythos technology, too.
Sure. Here's the link.
Wow, I've never met a woman like you, Joan. The things you can communicate over the phone!
Like the fact that you're a sexist blowhard?
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha! Actually, I wasn't kidding. * CLICK *
Uhhh, Joan...
Copyright © 2007 Xythos Software