Managing E-mail as Records
KEY POINTS:
1. Email system itself is not ‘the’ record. However, email messages can be. Base on
content of message.
2. Steps for Managing Email as Records:
a. Identify the content – Is it a Record? http://www.nd.gov/itd/services/recordsmanagement-program
b. Take appropriate action to organize email: Touch once
i. Delete
ii. File & Store
iii. Send to Task List or Calendar for Action
TIPS: schedule uninterrupted time to process/organize and use four D’s:
Delete it (50%), Do It, Delegate It, Defer It-i.e. to calendar)
3. Storage options:
a. Print/file in traditional paper system
b. Archive
c. Move to separate location (i.e. network, document management system, etc)
4. Regardless of storage option, consider implementing folders according to the ND
Subject Classification System: http://www.nd.gov/itd/service-info/uniform-filing-systemrecords (section 8)
01 Accounting, Budgets, etc.
65 Policies/Procedures
80 Programs or Projects
5. Dispose according to retention schedules (guidelines below)
RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE FOR EMAIL:
According the ND General Records Retention Schedule (which applies to all agencies):
http://www.nd.gov/itd/files/retention/998/998001_descriptions.pdf, email records need to be
retained as follows:
450102
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION RECORDS
This series contains e-mail messages, voicemail messages, recorded telephone
conversations, instant messages, etc. created or received by employees of the
department.
Retention: Determine the record status of the message based on the content. If
the message is a record that documents official business of the department, the
record must be retained for the appropriate retention period defined on either the
ND General Records Retention Schedule or your department’s records retention
schedules. Dispose of records with transitory value after action is taken.
Disposition: Delete all information and backups.
WHEN ARE E-MAIL MESSAGES A RECORD?
Electronic mail (e-mail) is a means of communication, a method of corresponding, or a method of
delivering information, and many e-mail messages can be records. An e-mail message is a record if:
 The content relates to a business function, documents evidence of a transaction, is created in
response to an action or activity, etc.
 The message directly supports a project, program, or function
 The message documents an agreement between two or more parties
 The message supplements information in official files and
 Helps define the organization’s operations or responsibilities (i.e. policies, procedures).
According to NDCC 54-46, the definition of a record is as follows:
When in doubt, treat e-mail messages as records and apply appropriate records retention requirements
to ensure it is not kept longer than any related paper records.
NOTE: The e-mail system itself is not a record; however, the content (final thread of messages with
attachments) should be treated just like any other correspondence.
WHEN ARE E-MAIL MESSAGES NOT A RECORD?
E-mail is a lot like regular mail. You still receive junk mail (advertisements, educational opportunities,
brochures, jokes, etc.). E-mails that are not records include such messages as general
announcements (notices of leave donations, jeans day, etc.), invitations (to lunch, etc.), notices of
upcoming meetings (unless it contains a formal agenda, which may only have a short retention period),
working copies, drafts, and other messages of a personal or transitory nature. These types of nonrecord messages should be deleted when no longer needed, but not kept longer than records with
related content.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING E-MAILS?
If you are generating the email and the content is directly related to a program, project, or function of
your organization, it is your responsibility to maintain those emails for the appropriate length of time.
BASIC OPTIONS FOR STORING E-MAIL RECORDS
1. Archive within the application, save to a network file, or add to an existing document management
system or repository. NOTE: In MS Outlook, there is an option to create an archive using a .pst file.
This is not recommended because .pst files can become corrupt. There are currently no standards
for saving .pst files (reside on harddrives, network drives, USB drives, etc.), and during litigation the
software application is required to access the content of the messages stored in the .pst file.
2. Print and add to the official case, project, or related record series file.
Provided to NDSU by ITD Oct. 7, 2014