Dispose of source records

You need authorisation to destroy the original source records when you migrate, convert or digitise records.

The Source Records retention and disposal schedule provides disposal coverage for source records that have either been converted to a new format or migrated to a new system.

• Conversion is the process of changing records from one format to another, including (but not limited to) digitisation or file format migration (changing a digital record’s file format to one that is more stable).
• Migration involves the process by which public records are transferred from one computer system to another or to another public authority (e.g. as part of a Machinery of Government change).

The source records are those that remain following the successful conversion or migration. Each source records disposal authorisation has several general conditions that need to be met before the original source records can be destroyed.

To support public authorities with meeting the disposal conditions for source records outlined in the Source Records retention and disposal schedule, Queensland State Archives (QSA) has developed technical guides for conversion and migration activities.

The destruction of all records, including source records, must be endorsed by the chief executive or their authorised delegate and must be documented.

Source records must not be destroyed until quality assurance procedures have been completed.

Note: See digitise records for information on digitising physical records. See migrate digital records for information on migrating digital records from one system or storage solution to another.

Source records that have been migrated

This applies to digital source records that have been subject to any system migration, decommissioning of business systems, or digital transfer.

Digital source records may be:

• migrated to another system within a particular public authority (e.g. decommissioning a business system)
• migrated from one public authority to another (e.g. as part of a Machinery of Government process)
• transferred to the QSA Digital Archive as part of a digital transfer.

Digital source records need to be kept for a period of time following migration or transfer to allow for proper quality assurance checks and ensure the process was successful. This amount of time should be based on your public authority's risk assessment done during the migration or decommissioning process.

The migrated version of the record must be managed and retained for the full minimum retention period. During this time, access to digital source records should be restricted to prevent accidental alteration. Consider any other legal or business continuity issues that may influence the further retention of the digital source records. The Source Records retention and disposal schedule includes minimum requirements that must be met before destruction of digital source records can take place.

A public authority must ensure the safe keeping of digital source records and manage the records appropriately until they can be destroyed. This is necessary to ensure that they remain well-managed records and can be used again if they weren't successfully migrated or transferred.

Where digital records have been transferred to the Digital Archive, QSA must also check and verify that the transferred version of the digital record has been successfully ingested into the Digital Archive.

Source records that have been converted

This applies to source records (regardless of format) that have been successfully converted from one format to another.

Under the Source Records retention and disposal schedule, both temporary and permanent value source records may be eligible for disposal after successful conversion if certain conditions are met:

• the source record must not fall under one of the excluded records categories
• the source record must have a temporary retention status or a permanent retention status under a current disposal authorisation issued by the Queensland State Archivist (e.g. your core retention and disposal schedule, a functional retention and disposal schedule or the General retention and disposal schedule)
• your public authority must have developed, documented and implemented a defensible process for conversion activities that demonstrates how you meet the conditions of the source record disposal authorisation
• your public authority must have approval of this defensible process from your chief executive or their authorised delegate
• all disposal is approved by your public authority’s chief executive or their authorised delegate
• the converted record must be an accurate, legible and authentic reproduction of the source record in its entirety
• the converted record must be managed and maintained in accordance with any standards made and issued by the Queensland State Archivist under section 46(1)(a) of the Public Records Act 2023.

Each public authority must determine whether:

• records need to be kept in a particular format to satisfy governance requirements and whether such requirements prevent the destruction of the original physical source record
• you need to seek legal advice to assist with determining the risk of destroying of the original physical source record after conversion
• records are likely to become permanent value in the future (e.g. where records are sentenced based on significance) and the conditions of Disposal Authorisation 2941 cannot be met.

You should consider your obligations and requirements as well as relevant legislation, policies, standards, and directives.

Excluded records

Permanent value source records created on or after 1 January 1980 can be destroyed under Disposal Authorisation 2941 in the Source Records retention and disposal schedule where all conditions have been met.

If your public authority wants to digitise or convert a permanent value record created before 1 January 1980 and dispose of the source record, authorisation must be obtained from the Queensland State Archivist.

The following excluded records cannot be destroyed under Disposal Authorisation 2940 and Disposal Authorisation 2941:

• source records that have not been successfully converted
• records that have already been transferred to the QSA collection
• records subject to a protection notice or other legislative obligations
• records that contain unique properties, evidence or information in their original format that cannot be reproduced in another format
• records considered to have intrinsic value in their original format that would be lost during conversion
• records that are considered of significance to the identity of First Nations peoples and communities in their original format
• permanent value source records created before 1 January 1980.

Defensible process

You must have a defensible process to meet the requirements of the source records disposal authorisations.

A defensible digitisation, migration or conversion process shows that you have developed and documented a considered approach. It must be auditable or usable to prove that you can or have met all relevant conditions and requirements.

Evidence of your public authority's defensible process may be requested if there is an incident in which public records are lost due to negligence or improper process, or in response to Right to Information requests, court proceedings, or an audit.

Your defensible process must include:

• the process or procedure you used to ensure all exclusions for the appropriate source records disposal authorisation are observed
• the steps taken during conversion or migration to ensure that the converted or migrated record is a complete, clear and accurate version of the source record, and is fit for purpose (e.g. quality assurance, risk assessment, technical specifications)
• details of how the converted or migrated record will be kept and managed in a trusted system for the full minimum retention period (e.g. digital continuity and preservation processes, appropriate storage for the format and retention period)
• how and when original source records will be destroyed
• the disposal authorisation used to lawfully destroy the source records.

Your public authority's chief executive or their authorised delegate must approve the defensible process. You don't need to refer this documentation to QSA.

See additional considerations that may also be included in a defensible digitisation process and migration process.

Note: Any digitisation disposal policies based on the previous policy and disposal authorisation can still be used as evidence of a defensible process under the new Source Records retention and disposal schedule.

Technical guidance

To support public authorities with meeting the disposal conditions for source records, QSA has developed the following technical guides for conversion and migration activities:

• Technical guidance for digitisation of source records (PDF, 623.7 KB)
• Defensible process template for digitisation (PDF, 204 KB)
• Technical guidance for file format migration (PDF, 194.3 KB)
• Managing public records when decommissioning business systems methodology (PDF, 446.7 KB)
• Quality assurance checklist for decommissioning business systems (PDF, 147.3 KB)

More information

• Source Records retention and disposal schedule
• Digitise records
• Migrate digital records
• Manage records when decommissioning business systems
• Event history metadata
• Quality assurance when digitising
• Recommended technical specifications for digitising records
• Disposal advice for record managers