Introduction to Records Management
Introduction to Records Management
Federal employees will create and work with federal and/or presidential records. Records are more than documents in a filing cabinet. They can include emails, voicemails, texts, tweets, and much more. It is vital that government employees understand what a record is and how it should be properly managed. It is also important to remember the records and information you create and receive in the course of your official duties must remain under control of the Government. This allows future officials to build upon your work.
Records Management provides a rational basis for making decisions about what should be saved and what should be discarded. These decisions are necessary to support the mission, legal, fiscal, administrative, and other needs of the Government. Implementing good records and information management practices helps agencies:
- minimize costs and operate efficiently,
- adequately and properly document agency actions and decisions, and
- identify and transfer permanently valuable records to the National Archives.
When entering Federal service, it is important to lay the foundation for good records and information management. The National Archives serves as the primary source for records management information in the federal government. However, Federal employees should contact their Federal Agency Records Officer for a briefing on the specific recordkeeping requirements they must follow.