The free encyclopedia of records management
Clear, authoritative answers on retention, federal recordkeeping, FOIA, declassification, and information governance.
Explore by topic
From first principles to federal recordkeeping and declassification.
Records Management Fundamentals
What records management is, why it matters, and the lifecycle every record moves through from creation to final disposition.
Retention & Disposition
Retention schedules, records inventories, the General Records Schedule, and defensible disposition of records at end of life.
Featured areaFederal Records Management
Managing U.S. Government records under the Federal Records Act, NARA regulations, and the M-23-07 push to fully electronic recordkeeping.
Electronic Records Management
Capturing, classifying, and preserving born-digital records and managing them in electronic records management systems (ERMS).
Information Governance
The organization-wide framework of policies, accountability, and controls that governs information as a strategic asset.
E-Discovery & Litigation Readiness
Preserving, collecting, and producing electronically stored information for litigation — legal holds, the duty to preserve, the EDRM, proportionality, and defensible process.
Featured areaFOIA & Public Records
Freedom of Information Act and state public-records processes — how good recordkeeping makes timely, complete disclosure possible.
Featured areaDeclassification & Classified Records
Handling national security information, mandatory and automatic declassification, and review of classified records for release.
Featured areaCompliance & Standards
The standards that define trustworthy recordkeeping — DoD 5015.2, ISO 15489, and ISO 16175 — and how organizations demonstrate compliance.
Email & Messaging Records
Treating email, chat, and text as records: the Capstone approach, messaging-app capture, and litigation-ready management.
Privacy, PII & Data Protection
Where records management meets privacy — protecting personally identifiable information and aligning retention with data-protection law.
Digitization & Imaging
Converting paper and analog holdings to trustworthy digital records, including imaging standards and source-record disposal.
Vital Records, Archives & Preservation
Protecting vital records for continuity of operations and preserving records of enduring value for the long term.
Featured articles
Understanding OMB/NARA Memorandum M-23-07: The Move to Electronic Records
M-23-07 directs U.S. federal agencies to manage all records electronically. Here's what the mandate requires, the key deadlines, and what it means in practice.
Retention & DispositionHow to Build a Records Retention Schedule: A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical walkthrough of creating a defensible records retention schedule — inventory, appraisal, setting retention periods, approval, and maintenance.
Records Management FundamentalsWhat Is a Record? A Plain-Language Definition with Examples
A record is recorded information that documents an organization's activities and obligations. Learn what counts as a record, what doesn't, and why the distinction matters.
Common questions
Straight, plain-language answers to common records management questions.
- A key custodian left the company—how do we preserve and collect their email and files after they're gone?
- Am I supposed to get an acknowledgement letter after I file a FOIA request, and what should it contain?
- An employee admitted to deleting emails relevant to a lawsuit—what do we do now?
- An employee left and had work records saved only on their personal phone or laptop — how do we recover them?
- Are curative measures or monetary fines available when lost data can be replaced through other sources?
- Are digital signatures legally valid on records?
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Records management glossary
194 plain-language definitions — from accession to vital records.
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