# Decommissioning Checklist

Version 1.0 | CSVtoCSA practitioner template | Updated 12 September 2026

## Purpose

Preserve required records and meaning, confirm retrieval, remove access and interfaces, terminate supplier services, and approve retirement.

## When to use

Before retiring, replacing, archiving, or terminating a regulated computerized system or service.

## Instructions

- Define the specific system, service, change, population, and intended use.
- Complete each field from available records and accountable interviews; record unknowns rather than guessing.
- Link conclusions to affected GxP functions, failure scenarios, controls, evidence, and approval.
- Adapt the structure to the organization’s approved procedures and document-control process.

## Blank template

1. Scope and reason for retirement

   Response: 

2. Replacement system

   Response: 

3. Record inventory and retention

   Response: 

4. Archive or migration method

   Response: 

5. Metadata and audit trail

   Response: 

6. Electronic signatures and relationships

   Response: 

7. Access and retrieval testing

   Response: 

8. Interfaces and dependent systems

   Response: 

9. User and privileged access removal

   Response: 

10. Supplier termination and deletion

   Response: 

11. Deviations and limitations

   Response: 

12. Final summary and approval

   Response: 

## Completed fictional example

The example below is teaching material, not an executed or approved validation record.

1. Scope and reason for retirement

   Fictional legacy eQMS after cloud replacement

2. Replacement system

   Validated cloud eQMS for active records

3. Record inventory and retention

   Closed CAPA, changes, complaints, attachments, approval and audit history

4. Archive or migration method

   Searchable controlled archive plus accurate human-readable copy

5. Metadata and audit trail

   Record type, owner, dates, status, revision, and audit events retained

6. Electronic signatures and relationships

   Signer, time, meaning, revision, and linked-record index preserved

7. Access and retrieval testing

   Authorized and inspection roles retrieve representative difficult records

8. Interfaces and dependent systems

   All inbound and outbound jobs disabled and reconciled

9. User and privileged access removal

   Accounts removed after final retrieval approval

10. Supplier termination and deletion

   Contract, legal hold, certified deletion, and backup responsibility confirmed

11. Deviations and limitations

   Initial PDF export lacked relationship and signature meaning; corrected archive retested

12. Final summary and approval

   Retirement approved after record and dependency evidence passes

## Use and limitations

Adapt this template to the applicable regulation, approved validation procedure, document-control process, risk method, and approval roles. CSVtoCSA does not present this template as a universally required validation record.