How do you prepare archived records for an audit?

Preparing archives for audits

Audits require clear evidence that records were retained, protected, and managed according to policy. Preparation reduces stress and shortens audit durations.

Preparation checklist:

• Ensure retention policies and mappings are documented and current.
• Produce exportable reports of retention status, legal holds, and access logs.
• Verify integrity with checksum validation and fixity reports.
• Confirm that encryption, immutability, and access controls are enforced.

Run mock audits and retrieval drills to validate that staff know how to locate and export required records. Having standardized reporting templates and a designated point of contact speeds the audit process and demonstrates strong governance.