What is the difference between a record email and a transitory email, and how do I tell them apart in my inbox?

Not every email in your inbox is a record, and not every record needs to be kept for long. The difference comes down to content and function, not where the message lives or how it arrived.

What makes an email a record

An email is a record when it documents an organization’s business: a decision, a policy, an approval, a transaction, an obligation, or anything you would need later to show what happened and why. The key test is evidential and informational value. If the message captures activity the organization is accountable for, it is a record regardless of whether it is “important” to you personally.

Record emails are governed by a retention schedule. They must be kept for a defined period, then either destroyed on schedule or transferred for permanent preservation.

What makes an email transitory

A transitory email has only short-term, immediate value and no lasting documentation purpose. Common examples include:

• Meeting logistics (“running 5 minutes late”)
• Routine acknowledgments (“Got it, thanks”)
• Drafts already superseded by a final version
• Reminders, calendar pings, and copies of information held elsewhere
• Personal or non-business messages

Transitory messages still have a retention period, but it is typically very short. They may be deleted once they have served their immediate purpose, in line with your organization’s policy.

How to tell them apart in your inbox

When triaging a message, ask:

• Does it document a decision, action, or obligation? If yes, treat it as a record.
• Would the organization need this to answer “what happened?” later? If yes, it is likely a record.
• Is it just convenience information available elsewhere, or housekeeping? If yes, it is probably transitory.
• Am I the originator or official recipient? The person responsible for the action usually holds the recordkeeping copy.

A useful habit is to file or tag record emails into the correct retention category as you go, and let transitory clutter age out under policy. When you are genuinely unsure, treat the message as a record until you can confirm otherwise.

Retention rules and definitions vary by organization, so always follow your own records schedule and policy. For more guidance, see the email and messaging topic hub.