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Understanding OMB/NARA Memorandum M-23-07: The Move to Electronic Records

By RM University Editorial Team · Published February 20, 2026

Timeline of U.S. Federal Recordkeeping MilestonesA horizontal timeline marking key U.S. federal records management milestones from the 1950 Federal Records Act through the current Universal ERM Requirements / FERMI framework.1950Federal Records Act2009Exec. Order 13526(classification)2019OMB/NARA M-19-21(electronic records)2022NARA revokes DoD5015.2 endorsement2023M-23-07Universal ERMRequirements / FERMI(current framework)
Timeline of U.S. Federal Recordkeeping Milestones (1950–Present)

For decades, U.S. agencies managed a hybrid of paper and digital records. Memorandum M-23-07, issued jointly by the Office of Management and Budget and the National Archives, set a clear end to that era: federal records are to be managed electronically. Here is what the mandate actually requires.

What M-23-07 requires

At its heart, M-23-07 directs agencies to:

  • Manage all records in electronic format with appropriate metadata, including records of permanent value.
  • Transfer permanent records to NARA electronically. After the transition deadlines, NARA no longer accepts transfers of permanent records in analog (paper) formats, except by approved exception.
  • Close out or convert remaining analog records and manage them digitally going forward.

It built on the earlier M-19-21 directive and reflects NARA’s broader Federal Electronic Records Modernization Initiative (FERMI), which standardizes how agencies acquire records management services.

Why it matters

The mandate is more than a filing-format preference. Managing permanent records electronically — with the metadata that proves their authenticity — changes how agencies capture, categorize, and preserve information from the moment it is created. It pushes agencies toward electronic records management systems, automated categorization, and electronic transfer processes, and away from warehouses of paper.

What it means in practice

Agencies responding to M-23-07 typically focus on several fronts:

  • Electronic capture and scheduling so records are managed in place, in the systems where work happens.
  • Metadata sufficient to establish each record’s context and support its transfer.
  • Email management, often via NARA’s Capstone approach.
  • Digitization of any remaining analog permanent records to NARA’s standards before transfer.
  • Electronic transfer of permanent records to the National Archives.

The bottom line

M-23-07 cemented electronic recordkeeping as the federal default. For records officers, it turned long-discussed modernization into a compliance requirement with real deadlines — making sound electronic records management and a current retention schedule more important than ever.

Sources & further reading

Authoritative government and non-profit references.

How to cite this page

APA

RM University Editorial Team. (2026). Understanding OMB/NARA Memorandum M-23-07: The Move to Electronic Records. Records Management University. https://www.recordsmgmt.org/articles/understanding-m-23-07/

MLA

RM University Editorial Team. "Understanding OMB/NARA Memorandum M-23-07: The Move to Electronic Records." Records Management University, 20 February 2026, www.recordsmgmt.org/articles/understanding-m-23-07/.