Classification Scheme
A logical, hierarchical structure of categories used to organize records by their business function or subject so that related records can be grouped, retrieved, and managed consistently across a recordkeeping system.
Classification scheme is the organizing backbone of a recordkeeping system: a structured set of categories, usually arranged hierarchically by business function and activity rather than by department or media type, into which records are placed. It gives every record a logical “home,” enabling consistent naming, reliable retrieval, and the application of shared rules for access, security, and disposition. In electronic environments, the scheme is typically expressed through metadata and category structures rather than physical folders, so a single record can inherit retention and handling rules from its assigned class. A classification scheme is closely related to, but distinct from, a file plan: the scheme defines the categories and their relationships, while the file plan maps actual records and retention rules onto them. Sound classification is foundational to defensible disposition and discovery. Reflecting this principle, NARA in 2022 ended its endorsement of the older DoD 5015.2 certification and shifted toward the Universal Electronic Records Management Requirements and the Federal ERM Initiative (FERMI), which emphasize functional, metadata-driven classification across modern systems.