How do we get the records out of an old system that is being decommissioned before we lose them?

When a system reaches end of life, the data inside it does not stop being a record. The risk is that records, and the metadata that gives them meaning, disappear the moment the system is switched off. Acting before decommissioning, not after, is the difference between an orderly migration and permanent loss.

Start with what the system holds

Before touching the technology, inventory the content. Identify what record types live in the system, who owns them, and what retention requirements apply. Some records may have already met their retention and can be dispositioned (with documented approval) rather than migrated. Others may be under legal hold and must be preserved exactly as they are. Knowing this prevents you from spending effort moving material that should be destroyed, or destroying material that must be kept.

Preserve content and context together

A record is more than its document body. To remain trustworthy and usable, you must also capture:

• Metadata — creation dates, authors, classifications, audit history.
• Relationships — links between records, case structures, version chains.
• Access and security controls — who could see what, especially for sensitive or controlled information.

Records exported without this context can become orphaned files no one can interpret or rely on later.

Export to open, sustainable formats

Where possible, migrate to non-proprietary, well-documented formats that do not depend on the retiring system to be read. Open formats reduce the chance that you simply move the problem into another system that will one day be decommissioned too. This is a core concern of digital preservation: keeping records readable, authentic, and complete over time.

Validate before you turn anything off

Migration is not done when files land in the new location. Confirm record counts, run fixity or checksum verification to prove nothing was altered, and spot-check that documents open and metadata is intact. Keep the old system available (read-only if you can) until validation is signed off.

Document the whole process

Record what was moved, what was destroyed, the methods used, and who authorized each step. This documentation supports the chain of custody and demonstrates that records remained authentic through the transition.

For broader grounding, see Records Management Fundamentals.