Superseding objects in a retention system

Abstract

Superseding a prior version of a document, to which prior version a retention policy or other requirement has been applied, is disclosed. In some embodiments, an attribute of a retention policy indicates whether a document to which the retention policy has been applied is to be superseded by a subsequently created and/or saved version of the document. In some embodiments, the attribute is set by a logic or process configured to apply the retention policy to the document. If the retention policy indicates that supersede is enabled, in various embodiments when a subsequent version is created and/or saved, the prior version is promoted to the final phase of the retention policy that has been applied to it and automatically “qualified” for disposition as indicated in the final phase of the retention policy, without regard to intervening requirements, processes, phases, approvals, retention, waiting, or other periods, etc.

1 . A computer program product for managing stored content, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 applying a retention policy selected from a plurality of retention policies stored in a policy store to a first version of a content item stored in a content store of a content management system by associating an instance of the retention policy with a content object in a metadata store, the content object representing the first version of the content item, the retention policy indicating a final disposition and the instance of the retention policy including an attribute that indicates whether a supersede is enabled with respect to the first version of the content item;   based on a second version of the content item being saved to the content store:
 determining that the first version of the content item is a prior version of the content item under retention; 
 based on the determination that first version of the content item is the prior version of the content item, determining whether the attribute of the instance of the retention policy associated with the content object that represents the first version of the content item indicates that the supersede with respect to the first version of the content item is enabled; and 
 based on a determination that the attribute indicates that the supersede with respect to the first version of the content item is enabled, superseding the first version the content item with the second version of the content item, so as to qualify the first version of the content item for the final disposition indicated in the retention policy; and 
   based on a determination that the first version of the content item qualifies for the final disposition, performing the final disposition, the final disposition comprising removing the first version of the content item from the content management system.   
     
     
         2 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein superseding the first version of the content item comprises promoting the first version of the content item to a final phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item and immediately qualifying the first version of the content item for the final disposition. 
     
     
         3 . The computer program product of  claim 2 , wherein the promoting the first version of the content item to the final phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item includes promoting the first version of the content item to the final phase without regard to any intervening requirement or phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         4 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein superseding of the first version of the content item comprises qualifying the first version of the content item for the final disposition without regard to any intervening requirement or phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         5 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item includes a plurality phases, including a final phase that indicates the final disposition, and wherein superseding the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item so as to qualify the first version of the content item for final disposition includes advancing the first version of the content item to the final phase of the retention policy. 
     
     
         6 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute is set by one or more of the retention policy, business logic, and application logic. 
     
     
         7 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein final disposition includes generating an audit trail that documents the final disposition of the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the audit trail indicates that the first version of the content item was qualified for final disposition as a result of being superseded. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein performing the final disposition further comprises:
 transferring a copy of the first version of the content item to a storage location or media outside of the content management system prior to removing the first version of the content item from the content management system.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein applying the retention policy to the first version of the content item comprises associating a retainer object with the content object, the retainer object configured to apply the instance of the retention policy to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising computer instructions for determining whether a freeze exists in relation to the first version of the content item that would override the supersede enabled for the first version of the content item, prior to superseding the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the computer instructions for superseding the first version the content item with the second version of the content item, so as to qualify the first version of the content item for the final disposition indicated in the retention policy, are executable to perform the superseding based a determination that the freeze does not exist in relation to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the content item is a document. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising computer instructions for:
 based on a determination that the attribute indicates that the supersede with respect to the first version of the content item is not enabled, retaining the first version of the content item according to the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product for managing stored content, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 applying a retention policy selected from a plurality of retention policies stored in a policy store to a first version of a content item stored in a content store of a content management system by associating an instance of the retention policy with a content object in a metadata store, the content object representing the first version of the content item, the retention policy indicating a final disposition and the instance of the retention policy including an attribute that indicates whether a supersede is enabled with respect to the first version of the content item;   based on a second version of the content item being saved to the content store:
 determining that the first version of the content item is a prior version of the content item under retention; 
 based on the determination that first version of the content item is the prior version of the content item under retention, determining whether the attribute of the instance of the retention policy associated with the content object that represents the first version of the content item indicates that the supersede with respect to the first version of the content item is enabled; 
 based on a determination that the attribute indicates that the supersede with respect to the first version of the content item is not enabled, retaining the first version of the content item according to the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item; 
 based on a determination that the attribute indicates that the supersede with respect to the first version of the content item is enabled:
 determining if a freeze has been placed on the first version of the content item to override the supersede; 
 based on a determination that the freeze has been placed on the first version of the content item, retaining the first version of the content item; and 
 based on a determination that the freeze has not been placed on the first version of the content management system, superseding the first version the content item with the second version of the content item, so as to qualify the first version of the content item for the final disposition indicated in the retention policy; and 
 
   based on a determination that the first version of the content item qualifies for the final disposition, performing the final disposition, the final disposition comprising removing the first version of the content item from the content management system.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein superseding the first version of the content item comprises promoting the first version of the content item to a final phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item and immediately qualifying the first version of the content item for the final disposition. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item includes a plurality phases, including a final phase that indicates the final disposition, and wherein superseding the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item so as to qualify the first version of the content item for final disposition includes promoting the first version of the content item to the final phase without regard to any intervening requirement or phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein superseding of the first version of the content item comprises qualifying the first version of the content item for the final disposition without regard to any intervening requirement or phase of the retention policy applied to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein final disposition includes generating an audit trail that documents the final disposition of the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the audit trail indicates that the first version of the content item was qualified for final disposition as a result of being superseded. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein performing the final disposition further comprises:
 transferring a copy of the first version of the content item to a storage location or media outside of the content management system prior to removing the first version of the content item from the content management system.   
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein applying the retention policy to the first version of the content item comprises associating a retainer object with the content object, the retainer object configured to apply the instance of the retention policy to the first version of the content item. 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the content item is a document.