Data Retention Made Easy: A Checklist for Legal Teams Using a CLM Like ALOE

When it comes to managing contracts and legal documents, data retention isn’t just a best practice—it’s a legal and operational necessity. From regulatory compliance to risk mitigation and efficient storage management, knowing what to keep, for how long, and when to dispose of it is critical.

ALOE not only streamlines your contract processes, but also helps enforce and track data retention policies seamlessly.

Here’s a practical Data Retention Checklist for legal teams using tools like ALOE:

1. Identify Applicable Retention Policies

• Review federal, state, industry-specific, and internal policies for document retention.
• Map out how long different types of contracts (e.g., NDAs, MSAs, SOWs) need to be kept.
• Include regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOX where applicable.

How ALOE helps: Custom metadata and tagging allow you to classify contract types, jurisdictions, and retention rules during intake.

 

2. Set Retention Timelines per Document Type

• Assign default retention periods to each contract category.
• Build in exception handling for contracts with special terms or litigation holds.
• Ensure retention policies are reviewed and updated regularly.

How ALOE helps: Use configurable templates and lifecycle stages to apply retention settings automatically.

 

3. Automate Notifications for Review or Disposal

• Set up alerts for contracts nearing the end of their retention periods.
• Include steps for legal review before deletion.
• Maintain a defensible audit trail of reviews and actions taken.

How ALOE helps: ALOE’s workflow engine triggers reminders and assigns tasks when contracts approach critical milestones.

 

4. Centralize and Secure All Legal Documents

• Store contracts in a centralized, searchable repository.
• Restrict access based on roles and permissions.
• Ensure proper encryption and access logging.

How ALOE helps: Every document is stored in one secure system with fine-grained access controls and full-text search.

 

5. Track and Report on Retention Compliance

• Generate reports on document age, retention status, and upcoming review dates.
• Demonstrate compliance during audits or litigation.
• Document all data disposition actions.

How ALOE helps: Out-of-the-box and custom reporting in ALOE gives you visibility into your retention practices at any time.

 

6. Establish a Repeatable, Scalable Process

• Build retention steps directly into your contract workflows.
• Train your team on using the CLM for retention compliance.
• Continually refine your process as laws or business needs evolve.

How ALOE helps: Workflow-driven automation ensures consistency and removes the burden of manual tracking from your team.

 

Final Thoughts

Managing data retention is no longer a spreadsheet-and-calendar game. With ALOE, you gain a powerful ally in staying compliant, organized, and efficient. Use this checklist to assess your current retention process—and see where smart automation can fill the gaps.

Want to see how ALOE can transform your data retention strategy? [Schedule a demo today] and let us show you how effortless compliance can be.