Using General Records Schedules

The GRS does not cover all agency records and not all agencies use the GRS in the same way. Agency staff should always contact their Agency Records Officer before using the GRS.

GRS Limitations

The GRS sometimes has limitations on its use. Read the GRS, especially the introduction and any exclusions to identify these limitations. Common exclusions include:

• Records. The GRS does not cover all records related to administrative or support functions. Also, sometimes there are specific exclusions at the schedule or item level.
• Agency. Some agencies cannot use certain GRS items. Generally speaking, an agency with specific oversight of an administrative function may not use the GRS that covers that function. For example, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is excluded from using the GRS for personnel records.  
• Date. Sometimes records created before a certain date do not fall under the GRS. Agencies must schedule these records themselves.
• Archival Value. Some records are specifically excluded because they have historical significance, such as final architectural drawings of historic buildings.

Understanding GRS numbers

Each GRS item has two identifiers:

The manual citation: An identifier made up of the GRS chapter number (X.X), and a 3 digit item number, such as GRS 2.4, item 040.

• This is the informal identifier, often used for easy reference. It may also appear as GRS 2.4.040 or GRS 2.4/040.
• This identifier may stay the same through minor revisions to the GRS.

The disposition authority: A unique number identifying the legal authority used to dispose of a federal record. An example is DAA-GRS-2016-0015-0004. A few GRS items still have disposition authorities with N1 or NC1 prefixes. 

• This number will change when there is a significant update to a GRS item.
• Agencies must use the disposition authority to transfer records or request GRS deviations.

Rescinded GRS authorities

NARA will rescind a GRS authority if it appears agencies are no longer creating the records. If your agency still creates these records, it must schedule them. If you still hold records covered by a rescinded GRS item, please contact GRS_team@nara.gov

If your agency has cited a rescinded GRS on an approved schedule:

1. Determine if your agency still creates or has records that fall under the authority. If you do not, then contact RCS_team@nara.gov about marking the item as obsolete.
2. If you do still need the authority, contact GRS_Team@nara.gov for guidance on whether the item was approved as a deviation or not. If it was approved as a GRS deviation to the GRS, then you can still use the existing item. 

Tailoring the GRS

Agencies may adjust GRS disposition authority language to better suit their needs. There is no need to notify NARA if you are making the following changes.

Agencies may:

• Revise disposition authority descriptions. For example, an agency may reword the title or the description so that it is more meaningful to agency users.
• Add specific cutoff instructions. The GRS uses implied disposition instructions, such as “Destroy 3 years after the case is closed.” Agencies may revise this to “Cut off when case is closed. Destroy 3 years after cutoff.”
• Use more defined retention periods. Define retention periods, especially when the instruction is “Destroy when no longer needed.”
• Remove “or when no longer needed for business use” from item retention instructions. Agencies should remove the open-ended instruction and set a specific instruction. The open-ended instruction only allows agencies to set longer retentions without NARA approval.
• Combine GRS disposition authorities. Use the longest common record retention of the combined authorities. Reference the associated GRS authorities for future tracking in case of future updates.
• Split GRS disposition authorities. You may split series of records covered by a single GRS disposition item into separate agency items. Cite the same GRS disposition authority across each item.

When the GRS might not work for you

The GRS should be able to meet your agency’s needs. See Tailoring the GRS for more information on revising GRS disposition authority language.

The GRS might not work for your agency if:

• You have big bucket or aggregated items. You may want to use your agency schedule if you have aggregated records covered by the GRS with records not covered by the GRS.

Note that big bucket items that aggregate only GRS disposition authorities do not require an agency schedule. In this case, we recommend citing all related GRS authorities with the bucket for tracking purposes.

• Your agency has a different disposition for the records. You may want to continue using your existing schedule if the GRS schedules records as temporary that your agency has scheduled as permanent.
• Your agency has a different cutoff instruction for the records. The cutoff instruction can change the length of retention for a record. A different cutoff instruction may result in being out of alignment with the GRS. If the GRS allows for longer retention, you should use the GRS instead. You may want to use your schedule when it results in a shorter retention or where the GRS does not allow for longer retention.
• Your agency has a shorter retention for the records than the GRS. Agencies should not keep records for a shorter period of time than the GRS, but there are cases where it might be allowable.
• Your agency has a longer retention for the records than the GRS. If the GRS states that it allows for longer retention, the agency should use the GRS. If the GRS does not allow for longer retention, you may want to continue using your existing schedule.

In all these situations, we recommend contacting GRS_team@nara.gov about the best way to proceed.

What to do if the GRS doesn’t meet your agencies needs

• You have an approved schedule. Submit a GRS notification to NARA. See GRS Notifications for more information.
• You don’t have an approved agency-specific schedule. Submit a new agency-specific schedule to NARA requesting a deviation from the GRS. See GRS Deviations for more information..
• You have a schedule, but want to use the GRS instead. Contact your appraisal archivist or GRS_team@nara.gov so that we can mark the schedule on the Records Control Schedule repository that the GRS supersedes your existing item.

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