Conducting searches for information checklist
Follow the provided checklist to conduct your searches. Add any additional stores of information or searching activities relevant to your organisation.
Checklist
☐ Check your retention schedules. If the requested information includes correspondence or older documentation, these may not be available due to your organisation’s retention policy. Confirm that you’ve adhered to retention schedules.
☐ When searching digital content, use a number of search terms including any words or phrases relevant to the request. You could also consider using software to help you search, including artificial intelligence (AI).
☐ Search your archives. If your retention policy includes storing information in archives, search relevant shared or personal archives.
☐ Search your public-facing website. Even if information is publicly available, it may be difficult for the requester to find.
☐ Search your disclosure log, if you have one. This should include all FOI and EIR request responses you’ve published.
☐ Search your intranet. If your organisation has an internal website, search all relevant pages.
☐ Search any relevant computer programmes. You may store information on specific software, for example for accounting purposes.
☐ Search these, if relevant to the request. Search relevant shared files.
☐ Search files that have shared access. Search relevant locally stored files. All information your organisation holds, including information held locally, on an individual device, is subject to FOI or EIR. This could mean colleagues searching personal devices or online accounts, where appropriate.
☐ Search any physical storage. Include searches of any information stored in a hard-copy format.
☐ Search correspondence. Letters, emails, online messages and text messages are subject to FOI and EIR. A request may refer to information that is held in non-corporate channels. Consult our Official information held in non-corporate communications channels guidance when responding to these requests.