Frequently Asked Questions

Legacy Archive refers to content archived before the compliance deadline and may qualify for an accessibility exemption.

General Archive refers to content archived after the deadline and does not claim an exemption.

By default, files cannot be archived if they are still in use. This prevents broken links and ensures visitors can access the content they expect.

Default behavior (archive-in-use disabled):

You must:

• Remove all links from content
• Run a scan
• Confirm the file shows as no longer used

When archive-in-use is enabled:

Your site administrator can enable archiving of documents and videos that are still referenced in content. When this setting is enabled:

• Documents and videos can be archived even with active links
• All links to the archived file are automatically routed to the Archive Detail Page
• Visitors see the archive information before they can download
• A confirmation checkbox is required during archiving

What cannot be archived while in use:

• Images - Cannot be archived while in use because it would break page layouts

If you see "This file is still in use" and the archive-in-use option is not available, contact your site administrator about enabling this feature in the module settings.

Currently, files must be archived individually so that each decision is documented correctly.

Yes.

You can download reports listing files, usage, and archive records for review or recordkeeping.

External content such as YouTube or Google Docs is archived from the Digital Asset Inventory page, not by adding a manual entry directly.

Find the in-use external URL row in the inventory and click Archive URL in its Operations column. This opens the Manual Archive Entry form with the URL and title prefilled and the asset type locked to External Resource. Confirm the content date attestation, choose visibility, and save.

The system records the link and context but does not copy the external content. The Archive URL link appears only when the archive feature and manual archive entries are enabled and no active archive already covers the URL.

The archived page banner only shows contextual notes about archived external resources.

If an archived page links to a Google Doc or YouTube video that hasn't been archived via manual entry, it won't appear in the banner notes. This is because:

• External resources are outside your control
• We don't track "active" status for external content
• Only resources you've explicitly archived are included

To include an external resource in the status notes:

1. Archive the external URL from the Digital Asset Inventory using the Archive URL operation on its row
2. Run a cache clear if needed

Existing archived external resources remain fully functional:

• Link routing continues to work (links redirect to Archive Detail Page)
• Contextual notes still display on archived pages
• Archive records are preserved
• The "(Archived)" label still appears on links

Disabling Manual Archive Entries only prevents creating new manual entries. It does not affect existing archives.

No. The Archive URL operation that archives external resources from the inventory is hidden when Manual Archive Entries is disabled.

To archive a Google Doc, YouTube video, or other external URL:

1. Ask your administrator to enable "Enable Manual Archive" in module settings
2. Go to the Digital Asset Inventory
3. Find the in-use external URL row
4. Click Archive URL in its Operations column

Direct entry of an external URL from the Add Manual Archive Entry form is not permitted.

No.

Archiving is a classification, not a storage action. Files remain where they are.

Editing archived content changes its status.

Any content that previously qualified for an exemption permanently loses that exemption once edited.

This applies to documents and videos archived through the Digital Asset Inventory (PDFs, Word documents, Excel files, videos, etc.).

The system detects file modifications by comparing the file's checksum (a digital fingerprint) against the original. If someone replaces or edits the actual file on the server, the system notices the change.

Legacy Archive (before deadline):

This is an ADA compliance violation. The modified content must now meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.

General Archive (after deadline):

This is not a compliance violation since General Archives don't claim ADA exemption. The record is kept for tracking purposes.

This applies to web pages and external URLs added through "Add Manual Entry" in Archive Management.

When you edit and save a page that has been manually archived, the system automatically detects the change.

Legacy Archive (before deadline):

You'll see a warning before saving that explains the consequences. You must check an acknowledgment box to proceed.

This is an ADA compliance violation. The modified content must now meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.

General Archive (after deadline):

You'll see a warning before saving. This is not a compliance violation since General Archives don't claim ADA exemption.

Yes. To re-archive a file (document, video):

1. Use "Unarchive" to remove from archive (status → Archived Deleted)
2. Use "Queue for Archive" from the Digital Asset Inventory
3. Execute the archive from Archive Management

This creates a new archive record with a new UUID. Archive type is based on current date (Legacy or General).

Exception: If the file has an Exemption Void record, the new archive will always be General Archive, even before the ADA deadline. The original voided record remains for audit.

Yes. To re-archive a manual entry (web page, external URL):

1. Use "Remove Entry" to remove from archive (status → Archived Deleted)
2. For a web page, use "Add Manual Entry" from Archive Management. For an external URL, re-archive from the Digital Asset Inventory using the Archive URL operation rather than Add Manual Entry.

This creates a new archive record with a new UUID. Archive type is based on current date (Legacy or General).

Exception: If the URL has an Exemption Void record, the new archive will always be General Archive, even before the ADA deadline. The original voided record remains for audit.

Warning flags indicate issues:

If a document shows "Exemption Void" status, it means a Legacy Archive (pre-deadline) was modified after being archived. The ADA accessibility exemption has been permanently voided.

Key points:

• The record is preserved as compliance documentation that an ADA exemption violation occurred
• The file can be archived again, but any new entry will automatically be classified as General Archive regardless of the current date
• Files/URLs with voided exemptions permanently lose Legacy Archive eligibility
• The original voided record remains in the system for audit trail purposes

How this happens:

• A file's checksum changed after archiving (file was modified or replaced)
• A manually archived page's content was edited and saved

What to do:

1. Investigate why the modification occurred
2. If the content needs to remain accessible, remediate it to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards
3. If needed, create a new archive entry (will be General Archive)

This creates "zombie content" - an archived file that has returned to active use.

What the module detects:

After the next scan, the archive record will show a "Usage Detected" warning flag indicating the file is now referenced in active content.

What this means for compliance:

The archive status does NOT automatically change. The warning flag alerts you to investigate.

What to do:

1. Check Archive Management for the "Usage Detected" warning
2. Find which content is linking to the archived file (run a scan, check "Used In")
3. Decide whether to:

- Remove the link from content (keeps the file properly archived)

- Unarchive the file and remediate it for accessibility (if it needs to be active content)

Prevention: Educate content editors that archived files should not be linked from active pages. Consider using the Internal Notes field to document that a file is archived and should not be reused.

Archive it normally. The department's existence doesn't affect archival eligibility.

Best practices:

• Use the Internal Notes field to document the original department
• Add context like "Originally created by [Department Name], which merged into [New Department] in [Year]"
• Ensure someone in the current organizational structure is responsible for accessibility requests

For the Public Description:

• Focus on the content's purpose, not the originating department
• Example: "Historical policy document from 2018 regarding campus parking procedures"

Important: Even if the original department no longer exists, you must still fulfill accessibility requests for archived documents. Ensure your organization has a process for handling these requests.

When a document or video is archived, links to that file throughout your site are automatically updated to point to the Archive Detail Page instead of the direct file. If a page has multiple links to the same archived file, all of them are rewritten.

This happens automatically without any action on your part. Visitors who click a link to an archived file see the archive information page, which explains the content is archived and provides options to download if needed.

Links to images are not changed because that would break page layouts.

The "(Archived)" label tells visitors the link goes to archived content before they click.

This sets expectations and helps users understand they will see archive information rather than download the file directly.

As of the 1.2.4 update, every new archive must capture a content date attestation to claim the ADA Title II Legacy exemption.

When you archive, you confirm a checkbox stating the content was created before the configured Archive Exemption Date and has not been modified after that date, and you enter a justification of at least 30 characters.

The attestation is recorded immutably on the archive record (who attested, when, the justification text, and a snapshot of the exemption date in effect), and a matching audit note is written. The form blocks submission until the Archive Exemption Date has been configured in settings.

Use the Add Attestation link in the Operations column of the Archive Management view.

It appears for non-terminal archive records that lack an attestation and were classified on or after the configured Archive Exemption Date. Submitting the form populates the attestation fields and writes a [Retroactive] audit note; all other archive fields are preserved unchanged, and the link disappears once the attestation is captured.

Records classified before the exemption date are grandfathered (they were already within compliance under the original framework), so the link is hidden for them.

External URLs and external-source video media are archived from the Digital Asset Inventory page, not from direct manual entry.

1. Locate an in-use external URL (or remote video) row. Its Operations cell shows an Archive URL link.
2. Click Archive URL. The Manual Archive Entry form opens with the URL and title prefilled and the asset type locked to External Resource.
3. Confirm the content date attestation, choose visibility, and click "Add to Archive Registry".

The link is hidden when archiving or manual archive entries are disabled, or when an active archive already covers the URL, in which case a View archive link is shown instead. Direct entry of an External Resource from the Add Manual Archive Entry form is blocked.