A trigger is a type of retention event based on an external action—for example, completion of an audit, termination of a contract, and so on that triggers or starts the retention life cycle. Triggers are similar to old manual date stamps that'd stamp the date on a file folder or piece of paper. Triggers are used to manually apply a retention date on individual file parts.

When a trigger is processed, it updates the Retention Start Date to jump-start a retention schedule. For example, a trigger activates the Retention Start Date for a record. A retention event that is set to occur two years past this Retention Start Date sets off a chain of subsequent events. In this way, triggers and retention events are combined in a sequence to form retention schedules. These schedules define important milestones in the life cycle of a record. 

Figure: Trigger events in schedule

This section includes the following topics: 

• Create Triggers
• Process Triggers
• Modify Triggers
• Delete Triggers