Questions
- I'm a manager and my employee is leaving — what do I need to do from an IT perspective?
- Is there an IT checklist for managers when an employee is departing?
- How do I make sure my employee's files and email are preserved before they leave?
- What happens to a departing employee's Bowdoin account and data?
- How do I collect and return a departing employee's Bowdoin technology?
- My employee left and their iPad is locked — how do I get it unlocked?
- How long do I have to save my employee's files and email after they leave?
- What do I do with a departing employee's desk phone?
Environment
This checklist applies to Bowdoin managers and supervisors whose direct reports are leaving the college. It covers the technology, data, and account steps that managers are responsible for coordinating as part of the offboarding process.
Resolution
When an employee is formally marked as terminated in Workday, a ticket is automatically created with the Service Desk and the employee is assigned an IT offboarding specialist. That specialist is your point of contact for questions throughout the process.
Technology and equipment
Inventory the employee's technology. Make a list of all technology assigned to the departing employee — laptop, iPad, monitors, peripherals, and any other IT equipment. BID numbers are usually on a sticker on the back or bottom of the device. IT maintains an asset register; email your list to the offboarding specialist for cross-reference to ensure everything is accounted for properly.
Ensure Apple devices are unlocked before return. Work with the employee before their last day to remove their Apple Account (iCloud) from any Bowdoin-issued iPad or Mac. If iCloud and Find My are not turned off before the device is returned, the device will be locked and cannot be wiped or reissued to anyone else — IT may need to contact the former employee after their departure to resolve this. See How to turn off "Find My" and sign out of iCloud on an iPad in the Related Articles section.
Important: Locked Apple devices cannot be erased without the owner's Apple Account credentials. This is one of the most common offboarding issues — confirm this step with the employee well before their last day, not on it.
Collect all power accessories. Gather all power adapters, USB-C cables, dongles, and other accessories issued to the employee. Your department may be charged for missing accessories.
Arrange equipment handoff. Tell the offboarding specialist where the technology will be. Options are: dropped off directly at the Service Desk, left in the employee's office or cubicle, or held with you until IT arranges pickup. If it is not dropped off at the Service Desk, someone will come to collect it after the employee's departure.
Note on equipment and roles. Equipment stays with the person, not the position. If an employee transfers to a different department rather than leaving the college entirely, their laptop, monitors, keyboard, and mouse move with them. The exception is the desk phone — the employee may leave it behind or take it. Phone numbers are assigned to the person, not the physical phone; IT will transfer the number accordingly.
Let IT know when the replacement is expected. If you are hiring a replacement, inform the offboarding specialist of the expected start date. This gives IT time to wipe and prepare the equipment with the latest software and updates before the new employee arrives.
File data
All files and data created by an employee during their time at Bowdoin are the property of the college. Employees should not take Bowdoin data with them when they leave.
Have the employee share their files with you before they leave. Check all locations where the employee may have stored work files:
- OneDrive — ask the employee to share the full contents with you before their last day
- Microwave (microwave.bowdoin.edu) — Bowdoin's network storage, known as the H: drive (personal files) and J: drive (department files) on Windows; also accessible on macOS. Have the employee copy any relevant files to a shared location before leaving.
- The computer itself — have the employee copy local files to Microsoft Teams or OneDrive and share with you. Bowdoin computers are erased within a few days of an employee's departure.
Copy the data to a permanent storage location. After their departure, you will have 30 days to move data from any shared location to Microsoft Teams or OneDrive. After 30 days, the data is deleted and is non-recoverable.
Warning: After 30 days, deleted employee data cannot be recovered under any circumstances. Do not wait — identify and save critical files as soon as the employee's account is disabled.
Email
Employees should not take Bowdoin email messages with them when they leave. All email is the property of the college.
Set up an automatic reply. Work with the employee before their last day to draft an appropriate automatic reply for their account. Include alternative contacts, other ways to reach the department, and any relevant context for ongoing work. The reply should be set before their account is disabled at 5:00 PM on their departure date.
Preserve important email. Have the employee sort their inbox and move important work-related messages into a folder, then share that folder with you. Copy the contents into your own mailbox for any messages you need to retain. Once the account is deleted, all email is permanently gone.
Note: If the employee or the department needs additional time to retrieve files or email, an account extension may be available. Extensions must be requested before the account is disabled. See Account Extensions in the Related Articles section.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.