Record retention refers to the policies and practices that organizations use to manage their documents and data. This includes determining how long to keep records, when to dispose of them, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Proper record retention helps organizations maintain important information while minimizing risks associated with data loss or unauthorized access. Effective record retention involves categorizing records based on their importance and relevance. For example, financial records, employee files, and customer information may have different retention periods. Organizations often create a record retention schedule to outline these timelines and ensure that records are managed consistently and efficiently.