How do we keep our records management program current as new technology and tools keep being adopted?

A records management program stays current not by chasing each new tool, but by grounding itself in principles that outlast any particular technology. When you anchor decisions to what a record is and what the organization must keep, you can absorb new systems without rebuilding the program each time.

Make the program technology-neutral

Write policy around outcomes, not products. A record is content that documents a business activity and must be retained, regardless of whether it lives in email, chat, a database, a collaboration platform, or a cloud service. State requirements in terms of capture, retention, protection, and disposition so the same rules apply no matter where information is created. This is the core idea behind recognized standards: define functional requirements first, then evaluate whether a given tool meets them.

Govern adoption, not just records

The most reliable way to keep pace is to insert records and information governance into the process that approves new technology.

• Require a records review before a new tool is purchased or deployed.
• Confirm the tool can apply retention, support legal holds, and enable defensible disposition.
• Document who owns the records the system creates and how they will be exported or migrated.

When governance sits at the point of adoption, new tools arrive already mapped to your retention schedule rather than becoming unmanaged repositories later.

Keep schedules and policies on a refresh cycle

Treat your retention schedule and policies as living documents. Review them on a regular cadence and whenever a major new platform, regulation, or business function appears. Retire entries for decommissioned systems and add coverage for emerging record types so nothing falls into a gap.

Invest in people and oversight

• Train staff on what to keep and where, especially as new tools change daily workflows.
• Build cross-functional ties with IT, legal, security, and privacy so changes are visible early.
• Audit periodically to confirm new systems are actually being managed as designed.

A program kept current this way is resilient: technology changes constantly, but a principle-based framework lets you evaluate each new tool consistently and integrate it without losing control of your records. See more in our information governance topic hub.