Field note
Preparing extracts before an external retention review
External reviews stall when extracts arrive with unnamed columns and mixed date formats. A short field list shared in advance prevents two weeks of clarification emails.
Minimum fields usually include employee key, department, job family, hire date, termination date, termination type, and employment status. Location and manager ID help when attrition clusters geographically.
Run a completeness check before sending: blank hire dates, future termination dates, and departments that no longer exist. Fix what you can; flag what you cannot.
Agree a look-back window. Three years is common for mid-size Hong Kong employers; shorter windows may suit rapidly reorganised units.
Document access rules. Who may see named records, how files are transferred, and when they will be deleted should be written down before the first extract leaves your systems.