20 March 2026

It’s time for a spring clean! As well as cleaning the windows, Windows on your work laptop could also do with freshening up. Storing documents too long or wrongly can cause a data leak and, just as with spring cleaning, those little, easily overlooked places are also important. Take a look at tip 3, because you can already get going with that.

1. Remove all files you no longer need

Imagine, a colleague draws up an inventory for a new baby gift. Is that list still on your laptop weeks later, with the names of different colleagues? The chances are you won’t be using it again. There are probably a lot more files that you keep unnecessarily, so it’s good to go through your documents and downloads and ask yourself whether you are still going to use them. If the answer is no, just delete the file. If you’re not sure whether you ought to delete something, get in touch with the Documentary Information and Archiving departmen via dia@assc.leidenuniv.nl. They know exactly which documents have to be kept.    

2. Delete job application details promptly

During recruitment and selection, personal data of applicants is processed, such as CVs, cover letters, Certificates of Conduct (VOGs), and other correspondence. This data may not be retained longer than necessary. If an applicant is not taken on, their details have to be anonymised in the Talent and Development Platform within twenty-eight days. You can easily do this by changing the candidate's status to 'Rejected.'  Most of the data will be processed through the Talent and Development Platform. Only in cases of absolute necessity may application data be handled by email or stored locally. If this does happen, be extra vigilant and always delete any data that exists outside the Talent and Development Platform as well. Additional tip: search for 'CV' in your email program or File Explorer.

3. Save as much as possible in OneDrive and Teams

Everything that you save locally (on the C-drive) will be gone for good if you lose your laptop, while it is important for the university that information remains available. An easy way to safeguard this information is simply to drag your documents to your OneDrive folder. If you’re working together with colleagues, save your documents in Teams and share them only with the people who need access.

4. Say goodbye to the employee and their data 

When a member of staff leaves, you can keep most of their data for a maximum of two years. These could be such things as  appraisals, correspondence about dismissal or sickness, and employment contracts. If you want to delete other employee documents than those mentioned here, first check with DIA or the Privacy Office.