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User Off-Boarding Request

Creation date: 5/20/2026 2:02 PM    Updated: 7/27/2026 8:48 AM   account-deactivation data-preservation departure hr offboarding termination
Argus IT Help Desk · User Off-Boarding
User Departure / Deactivation Request
The decisions that prevent data loss — make them before the account goes dark.
✋
Accounts will NOT be deactivated until this form is complete
Incomplete requests are placed on hold and returned. Missing decisions cause delays and, in some cases, permanent data loss.
ℹ
When an employee leaves — permanent departure, termination, or extended leave — several decisions must be made before the account can be deactivated safely. Complete the entire form.
📋  The form — copy into your ticket and fill in
USER DEPARTURE / DEACTIVATION REQUEST
=====================================

Full name of departing user:
User's email address:
Job title:
Property / venue:
Reporting manager:

EFFECTIVE DATE - REQUIRED
Last day of work:
Deactivate account on (date and time):
   (Usually end of business on their last day. If different, specify.)

DEPARTURE TYPE
[ ] Permanent departure (voluntary resignation, retirement)
[ ] Termination (involuntary - coordinate with HR)
[ ] Temporary leave (parental, medical, sabbatical) - expected return date:
[ ] Seasonal end (account kept dormant for next season)
[ ] Transfer to another Argus property - new property:

EMAIL HANDLING - REQUIRED
What should happen to their email after the last day?
[ ] Forward all incoming email to: ___________
       for  [ ] 30 days  [ ] 60 days  [ ] 90 days  [ ] Other: ______
[ ] Set up an out-of-office reply explaining the departure (text below)
[ ] No forwarding - bounce incoming email
[ ] Convert mailbox to a shared mailbox accessible by: ___________
Out-of-office message text (if requested):

FILE / DATA PRESERVATION - REQUIRED
Do they have files on OneDrive, SharePoint, or shared drives to preserve?
[ ] Yes - transfer ownership of OneDrive files to: ___________
[ ] Yes - preserve mailbox as archive for:
       [ ] 30 days  [ ] 90 days  [ ] 1 year  [ ] Indefinitely
[ ] No - files can be deleted with the account
[ ] Unknown - please review and advise

HARDWARE RETRIEVAL - REQUIRED
Has all company-issued hardware been retrieved?
[ ] Laptop / desktop       - retrieved [ ] Yes [ ] No   Asset tag: ______
[ ] Company cell phone     - retrieved [ ] Yes [ ] No   Number: ________
[ ] Key fobs / access cards - retrieved [ ] Yes [ ] No
[ ] Other equipment (headset, tablet, etc.):
If hardware has NOT been retrieved, coordinate retrieval before
the deactivation date.

SYSTEM-SPECIFIC ACCESS TO REMOVE
[ ] OPERA Cloud account (property):
[ ] Squirrel POS user account (venue):
[ ] Optimum Control
[ ] Adobe Acrobat license (release for reassignment)
[ ] FortiClient VPN
[ ] Other (list):

DISTRIBUTION LISTS / SHARED MAILBOXES
Lists, shared mailboxes, or group memberships to remove the user from:

ADDITIONAL NOTES
(Anything sensitive - special handling, legal hold, ongoing investigation)

APPROVAL
Approved by (manager or HR):
🧠  Why each decision matters
Effective date
We deactivate at that exact time — not before, not after. Premature deactivation locks out someone still working their notice; late deactivation is a security risk.
Email forwarding
Once an account is fully deleted, incoming email bounces — client/vendor communications can be lost forever. Best practice: 60–90 days forwarding to the manager or replacement.
File preservation
OneDrive files belong to the user — once the account is deleted (typically 30 days after deactivation), the files go with it. Transfer ownership BEFORE deletion. Same for mailbox archives: once deleted, gone permanently.
Hardware retrieval
A retained laptop with cached credentials, or a phone with active Microsoft Authenticator, can allow access even after deactivation. Retrieve hardware before the effective date.
🚫  Common mistakes
  • "Deactivate immediately" — you usually mean "end of business today." Specify a time so we don't lock someone out mid-shift.
  • Forgetting the Authenticator on their personal phone — ensure the corporate authentication profile is removed before they leave the property.
  • Terminations without HR — involuntary departures are sensitive; loop in HR before the IT ticket.
  • No preservation decision — in doubt, default to preserving mailbox and OneDrive for 90 days. Better briefly kept than permanently lost.
  • Same-day requests — give us at least a few hours; last-minute deactivations invite mistakes.
✅  What happens next
1
Ticket reviewed; missing info gets a reply.
2
On the effective date/time: signed out of all M365 sessions, account disabled in AD, forwarding and out-of-office configured as requested.
3
Within 7 days: license released; removed from distribution lists and shared mailboxes.
4
Within 30 days: account moves to "pending deletion."
5
Files preserved / ownership transferred per your instructions.
6
Hardware processed for return-to-stock, redeployment, or secure disposal.
7
Final deletion per the preservation schedule.
🔗  Related
New User Onboarding Request (KB-30001) · How to Request File or Folder Access (KB-30003)
ArgusIT KB# 30002 · Tags: offboarding · departure · termination · account-deactivation · data-preservation · hr