FirmLedge

For anyone holding the keys to a closing company's systems

Before the systems go dark.

A closing company's records rarely disappear in one decision. Hosted subscriptions lapse, suspended or canceled tenants are deleted on the vendor's schedule, and the one person who knows the ERP leaves. This list covers what to keep alive, what to export and who holds the keys while that is still possible.

Written by Andrew Gallagher, founder of FirmLedge.Last reviewed .Sources are listed at the end of the page.

Print it, or work through it on screen. The boxes are for your own use; nothing is saved or sent.

The checklist

Keep alive, export, hand over.

Vendors delete on their own clocks. For most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions, data is deleted after 30 days expired and 90 days with admin-only access [1]. Canceling Google Workspace deletes users' data, and it cannot be restored [2].

Systems of record
Email and chat
Files
Operations
People
Rights
Do not

On cost. Keeping a subscription alive for sixty to ninety more days is usually cheaper than reconstructing an archive after the vendor has deleted it.

FirmLedge / firmledge.com/for-estates/before-the-systems-go-dark/ / Andrew Gallagher / (312) 291-1954 / [email protected]

Why it matters

How archives are lost.

Rarely by a decision. Usually by a bill that stops being paid, a cleanup nobody questioned or a last day nobody planned around. Each is cheaper to prevent than to undo.

  1. 01
    A subscription lapses.

    The vendor suspends the account and deletes it on its own schedule. For most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions that is 30 days expired, then 90 days with admin-only access, then deletion [1]. Canceling Google Workspace deletes users' data, which cannot then be restored [2].

  2. 02
    Someone tidies up.

    A managed service provider reimages servers and laptops for resale, or a well-meaning employee clears old folders and mailboxes.

  3. 03
    The knowledge leaves.

    Nobody left knows which system held what, which exports work or where the backups went.

Next

What to do with the list.

Once it is filled in, the fit check on the estates page takes about two minutes: what survives, where it sits and any deadline ahead. It requests the one-page assessment, prepared at no charge, and Andrew replies within two business days. Owners outside a court process can use the owner inquiry instead.

Deciding whether the records are worth another month of subscription fees? The market record shows what has been paid in public. Before anyone asks for an export, what the license says covers the terms that differ from buyer to buyer.

The documents we ask a source for, which are not the records themselves, are listed on How it works. Guides for each estate type are on the estates page.

Questions

Keeping the archive alive.

Should we keep paying for the ERP after closing?
Until you know what it holds and have a tested export, usually yes, if the cost is authorized. Vendors delete data on their own schedules once a subscription ends; for most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions, for example, data is deleted after 30 days expired and 90 days with admin-only access. Check your ERP vendor's terms for its exact window.
Who should hold the admin credentials?
The person with authority over the records, such as the trustee, receiver, assignee or an authorized officer, with a second named person as backup. Record who holds them, change them when people leave, and do not share them with anyone before a written agreement.
Do we need to keep paper?
Keep it until you know what it is and what you must retain. Originals stay with you, and you keep whatever you must retain for tax, payroll, safety or court purposes. Any scanning costs are agreed in advance.

Sources

Sources.

  1. Microsoft Learn, What happens to my data and access when my Microsoft 365 for business subscription ends?, checked October 30, 2026. learn.microsoft.com
  2. Google Workspace Admin Help, Cancel Google Workspace, last updated October 26, 2026. knowledge.workspace.google.com

Sources checked October 30, 2026. Vendor terms change; check the current page for your plan. This page describes a process. It is not legal advice.

No files first

Start with the assessment.

The fit check takes checkboxes and contact details, and Andrew replies within two business days.

Check whether the records fitFor estates
Call Andrew (312) 291-1954 Email Andrew [email protected]