It is the most basic question in the field, and also one of the most consequential: what is a record? Get the answer right and everything downstream — retention, disposition, search, disclosure — has a foundation. Get it wrong and you either keep everything forever or lose information you were obligated to protect.
The definition
A record is recorded information, regardless of its form or the medium on which it sits, that is created or received by an organization in the course of its activities and kept as evidence of those activities. The U.S. Federal Records Act captures this idea for government, and the international standard ISO 15489 captures it for everyone else. Three things matter in that definition:
- Recorded information — it can be a document, an email, a spreadsheet, a database entry, a photograph, an audio file, or a text message. Format is irrelevant.
- Made or received in the course of business — a record documents what the organization actually did, decided, or was obligated to do.
- Kept as evidence — it has value as proof of an activity, transaction, or decision.
What is not a record
Not everything you create is a record. Most programs recognize categories of non-records: convenience copies, drafts that never informed a decision, personal messages, blank forms, published reference material kept for information only, and routine spam. These can usually be discarded without reference to a retention schedule. The danger lies in the gray area — a “draft” that actually documents a key decision is a record no matter what the filename says.
Why the distinction matters
The record/non-record line drives the whole lifecycle. Records get scheduled, retained for a defined period, protected from unauthorized destruction, and disposed of defensibly. Non-records can be cleaned up freely. Misclassifying records as non-records risks unlawful destruction and failed audits; misclassifying everything as a record buries the organization in cost and discovery risk.
A practical test
When unsure, ask: Does this information document a business activity, decision, or obligation, and would the organization need it as evidence of what happened? If yes, treat it as a record and let the retention schedule decide how long to keep it. If no, it is likely a non-record.
Understanding this single concept unlocks the rest of records management — from the records lifecycle to federal recordkeeping and beyond.
Sources & further reading
Authoritative government and non-profit references.
- Federal Records Act — definition of records (44 U.S.C. § 3301) — National Archives (NARA)
- ISO 15489-1: Information and documentation — Records management — International Organization for Standardization
How to cite this page
APA
RM University Editorial Team. (2026). What Is a Record? A Plain-Language Definition with Examples. Records Management University. https://www.recordsmgmt.org/articles/what-is-a-record/
MLA
RM University Editorial Team. "What Is a Record? A Plain-Language Definition with Examples." Records Management University, 15 January 2026, www.recordsmgmt.org/articles/what-is-a-record/.