This module offers the ability to:
Once you a destroy date occurs, automatically destroy certain elements of a matter:
The Matter file history.
The diary entries, including tasks.
Any data stored in variables.
Note: The Client, matter and financial data remains in the system.
Enter the required days for a matter to destroy after it’s closed.
View a Case Destruction report which lists all the closed matters affected when the Case Destruction module deploys or after amending the Destroy Matter After (Days) field.
Download the Case Destruction report.
View the Case Destruction fields in the matter.
Manage the movement of maters to short term and long term storage.
Access and retrieve matters in short and long term storage.
For full information, download our guide.
This stage of the development doesn’t currently deal with a procedure for handling matters with specific retention requirements, such as those involving minors, where the matter should destroy when the youngest minor reaches 18 years of old.
The Case Destruction module only recognises matters that have a Close Matter date and valid departments and categories. If your matter doesn’t have these details, it won’t delete with your preferred retention policies.
Create departments and categories
You need to create departments and categories before you can assign them to a matter. You do this within the DPSSQLConfig, with supervisor access. To get to the DPSSQLConfig you will need to have access to the hosted desktop.
Add a department
To add a department, follow these simple steps.
Click the Company tab, then click Departments.
Click Add, then enter the department code. This can be any unused number.
Enter a description, then enter the MPU.
Select the application, then click OK.
Add a category
To add a category, follow these simple steps:
Double-click the department row, or click the row and click Edit.
Click View Categories, then double-click the category, or click the row and click Edit.
Add Case Destruction details
To add destruction details, follow these simple steps:
In the Destroy Matter after (days) field, enter the number of days you require.
Note: This can’t be a value lower than 2190 days.Click Confirm, then click Yes.
When the confirmation message shows the number of matters updating, click OK.
Case Destruction report
To view the destruction report:
Under Case Destruction, click the folder icon.
The report for the matter category displays all the matters eligible for destruction, along with three options:
To enable the destruction process:
Click Confirm and you’ll see a prompt asking you to ensure you’ve downloaded the Excel copy of the report.
To download a list of the matters, click Download.
To leave and return to the Category Settings screen, click Cancel.
The destruction actions isn’t immediate and performs when the email agent next runs.
Access matters in short term storage
Once a matter reaches the short term storage retention date, the DPS agent begins to process any matter with a short term storage retention date set. The default setting is 90 days.
The matters process from around midnight, and once complete, you’ll see a blue cloud next to each uploaded item.
These files preview as any other field on an open matter. You’ll also be able to use Sign and Share and other email features as before., however these files are not editable, and this is to keep a paper chain. You can edit using the X-draft feature.
Matters in long term storage
Once a matter is processed and uploaded to short term storage, the next step is to upload it to long-term storage. The long term storage setting now defaults to 730 days.
Once the processing is complete, you’ll see a red cloud next to each item, indicating they’re now in long term storage, and the preview no longer displays the documents.
Retrieve a matter from long term storage
In the even you need to retrieve a matter from long term storage, you need to do this before destroying the file.
Click the matter button, then click the button to Move to short-term storage.
Click Yes.
This can take up to 48 hours for items in the file history to retrieve, and a blue cloud indicates it’s now in short term storage.
Destroyed matters
Once a matter reaches the destroy after date, certain actions occur as an overnight process.
These actions perform:
Delete the matter file history.
Delete the diary entries, including tasks.
Delete any data stored in variables.
The following information remains:
The client and matter.
The billing data.
Matter types with unique retention requirements
Existing customers with OneOffice v15.6.1: This update doesn’t alter any retention information already entered for closed matters in the system. Only if an admin user makes changes to an existing matter category using the DPSSQLConfig tool does the retention information for closed matters update.
For handling new matters with specific retention requirements, follow these steps:
Create a new matter category: Under the relevant department, establish a new matter category specifically designed for matters with a unique retention requirement, such as those involving children. Set the Destroy Matter After (Days) to 36135 (99 years).
Fee earner/user: When a fee earner/user in OneOffice is creating a new matter involving a specific case type, such as a matter involving a minor, they should:
Select the relevant matter category created in the DPSSQLConfig, for example Exception – inc. Minors. This ensures that you keep all such matters in a single location under a specific department.
Closing matters involving specific case types, such as those involving minors: If you need to close a matter involving a minor and it’s currently categorised under a general department and matter category, the fee earner should:
Change the matter category to Exception – Minors. This automatically schedules destruction after 99 years, as per the DPSSQLConfig retention settings.
Use the legacy field on the completion tab named Destroy Date to enter the actual date when you need to destroy the file, for example, six years from when the youngest minor reaches the age of 18.
Warning: This field isn’t linked to any Case Destruction settings and won’t overwrite the Destroy After schedule date, but you can use if for reporting purposes. In cases where a matter involving a child or any other exception cases becomes eligible for destruction before our next release, destruction of the miser needs to be a manual process.