Records of National Agencies | Presbyterian Historical Society

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Records of National Agencies

The Presbyterian Historical Society is the archives and records manager for national agencies of the PC(USA). Materials of enduring value created by national agencies should be sent to the archives for permanent safekeeping. Records of temporary value which are no longer frequently consulted may also be deposited with the society.

PERMANENT RECORDS

When you start gathering records for transfer, refer to the General Records Retention Schedule below, or available from Centernet, to determine which records have permanent value. Use the retention schedule to dispose of records that have temporary value and are past their retention periods.

TEMPORARY RECORDS

If available, use your office’s unique records retention schedule to identify and sort records which have a common destruction date. Or, use the General Retention Schedule below for national agency records.

RECORDS DEPOSIT

The society accepts original records of permanent value and temporary records which are no longer frequently consulted on deposit. Records are stored in our secure, climate-controlled archives.

SHIPPING RECORDS

PC(USA) Records Manager Kyna Herzinger is the point of contact for national agency staff preparing records for shipment. 

If you believe you have records that should be transfered to PHS, contact Kyna Herzinger or complete this form. You will receive an automatic confirmation and a follow-up that includes a records transfer number. Kyna will be available to assess the records and assist throughout the process. Once records are ready, mailing lables will be provided and Mailroom staff may be contacted to pick up and ship the boxes. Note that any addition description or inventory that is not captured on the form may be sent to Kyna or David Staniunas via email. 

GENERAL RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE

Records Title and Description

 Retention

 Disposition Instructions

Account Request Forms

 Active + 3 years

 Destroy

Accounts Payable

 3 years

 Destroy

Accounts Receivable

 3 years

 Destroy

Annual Fiscal Reports

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia

Annual Reports

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia

Budget and Expense Reports

 3 years

 Destroy

Budget Code List

 3 years

 Destroy

Contracts: Repairs, Leases

 Expiration + 6 years

 Destroy

Contracts: Personal Service

 Expiration + 6 years

 Destroy

Correspondence - General: requests for information or publications, payments, receipts, routine courtesies (includes e-mail). Does not include non-business related messages, junk mail, and duplicate copies of general announcements. Delete these when no longer useful.

 3 years

 Destroy

Correspondence- Official: documents an office's administrative structure, procedures, and policies; is incoming and outgoing and may consist of letters, e-mail, notes, memoranda, directives, policy statements, and other information.

 

 Permanent

Transfer to Archives in Philadelphia

Deduction Authorization Records

 Active + 4 years

 Destroy

General Ledger Reports-Budget Control

 3 years

 Destroy

Grants - Funded

 Permanent

Transfer grant files to the Archives in Philadelphia (keep applications, proposals, final report, and official correspondence)

Grants - Not Funded

 2 years

 Destroy

Grievance Case Files (unit copy, may be in Human Resources only)

 Settlement + 3 years

 Destroy

Inventories of Property and Equipment (office copy)

 Active

 Destroy when superseded

Invoices

 2 years

 Destroy

Journal Vouchers

 3 years

 Destroy

Mail Logs (Mailing Lists)

 Active

Destroy when no longer useful or superseded

Manuals/Handbooks (produced by the office)

 Permanent

Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia

Meeting Arrangement Files (may include hotel folios, catering materials, conference room information, registrations)

 3 years

 Destroy

Meeting Folders (materials with general information from conferences or meetings attended by staff)

 Active

Discard when no longer needed

Minutes of Governing Boards/Advisory Committees (of the Department)

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia

Minutes of Staff Meetings

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia

Pay Authorization Records

 5 years

 Destroy

Per Capita Financial Reports (annual)

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia

Per Capita Financial Reports (monthly)

 3 years

 Destroy

Personnel Records (departmental copy)

Employment + 7 years

Destroy 7 years after termination of employment

Photographs

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia

Policies and Procedures Manuals/Statements (produced by the department)

 Permanent

Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia

Publications (issued by the Department and may include newsletters, brochures, promotional materials, and published reports)

 Permanent

Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia

Purchase Orders

 3 years

 Destroy

Purchase Orders for items with a warranty

 Length of warranty

 Destroy

Records Transfer Lists (documents the records from the office sent to the Archives or Records Center)

 Permanent

 Retain in Office

Reference Materials (external publications used for information purposes)

 Active

Destroy or discard when no longer useful

Requisitions

 Current + 2 years

 Destroy

Requisitions for items under warranty

 Length of warranty

 Destroy

Shipping and Freight Records Files

 Current + 1 year

 Destroy

Telecommunications Reports (Telephone Charge Records)

 3 years

 Destroy

Videos (produced by the Office)

 Active

Transfer one copy of each to the Archives in Philadelphia

Vouchers (includes travel, hotel, food, mileage, etc.)

 3 years

 Destroy

Working Group Files (may include minutes, reports, budgets, and correspondence)

 Permanent

Transfer to the Archives in Philadelphia