Because your department retains all copies of documentation related to FlexCard purchases, it is the OFFICE OF RECORD for the documentation.

As the Office of Record, your department must retain original copies of all FlexCard purchase documentation for the period of time mandated by University of California policy.

“General” Funds

For all purchases made with general (19900) and similar university funds (20000, 69750, 07427, service enterprise and income, etc.), documentation must be retained for FIVE years following purchase.

Extramural Funds

All purchases made with extramural funds (Federal, State or other agency) are subject to more stringent records retention requirements, which may vary according to the agency (please consult the award document or contact your Sponsored Projects Officer if you have questions regarding a specific award).

As a rule of thumb, all FlexCard purchase documentation should be retained for SEVEN years following acceptance by the awarding agency of the final Closeout Report. Acceptance of the Closeout Report may occur months if not years following the end date of the award. If a FlexCard purchase is made during the first year of a five-year Federal contract whose Closeout Report is accepted one year after the contract ends, documentation related to that purchase will need to be retained for THIRTEEN years following the actual purchase.

There is an excellent chapter on “Record Retention” in the UCSB Campus Information and Procedure Manual created by the Office of the Controller.

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