What is good recordkeeping?
State records are information and data created or received by a public office employee in the course of their official duties.
Good recordkeeping ensures that records are created, appropriately captured, maintained securely, retained, and made accessible for as long as they are needed.
Good recordkeeping also ensures that records, information and data are appropriately and routinely disposed of when no longer required for administrative or legal purposes. This includes transferring records required as State archives to Museums of History NSW, and destroying records, information, and data that have met their minimum retention periods.
Records are evidence of the following:
- What: What was done or the action that took place.
- Where: The location where the action or event occurred.
- When: The specific time or date when the action was completed, or decision was made.
- Why: The reason or justification for the action or decision.
- Who: The people or parties involved in the action or decision.
- Authority: The legal basis or authorisation under which the action was taken, or the decision was made.
The State Records Act 1998 sets out the mandatory requirements or key obligations for the creation, management and protection of the records of NSW public offices.
An overview has been developed to help you understand the key sections of the Act.
Common types of State records
Records of communication between a public sector employee and any other person, such as members of the community, other public sector employees, or other organisations, which relate to some aspect of official business. Examples include emails, letters, WhatsApp messages, or Teams chats.
Records that document core businesses processes such as reports, briefing notes, plans, agendas, minutes, file notes of meetings and conversations, working papers, messages, and information generated by artificial intelligence.
Documentation of financial activity, such as financial reports, budgets, estimates, receipts, contracts, tenders, invoices, and statements.
All content that a public office produces, publishes, and/or circulates.
If your public office has a presence on social media, such as on LinkedIn, all content and communications (including reactions to posts, comments, etc.) published/transmitted via these platforms are also State records.
Public offices should keep all contracts, agreements, court documents, intellectual property records, and compliance-related materials.
State Records NSW offer a number of free online training modules on records management and recordkeeping in the NSW public sector.
Records are proof that you and your organisation have considered decisions and taken appropriate actions. Records are invaluable if your actions or decisions are questioned, become subject of an official inquiry, or come under scrutiny.
The government needs records to understand the needs of the community and its citizens. Without this information, it cannot effectively provide services or protect people's rights.
Accountability is one of four core NSW public sector values. Good recordkeeping underpins accountability and transparency and allows the government to be answerable to the community.
Good recordkeeping prevents loss of crucial business data and information. Loss of records and data exposes you, your organisation, the government and the community to significant risk.
Good recordkeeping supports good decision-making by recording the details of past decisions and documenting why and how they were made.
Good recordkeeping ensures that confidential government data and sensitive information about individuals remains secure at all times and can only be accessed by those with appropriate authorisation.
A well-functioning recordkeeping system increases efficiency of routine business processes and of decision-making at all levels. Information that is organised and easily found, can be applied and re-purposed in beneficial ways.
Good recordkeeping saves the government money through routine purging of non-critical information. Information that is organised and easily found, can be applied and re-purposed in beneficial ways.
Recordkeeping reminders
Create and capture records
Get trained and use
Use of private/personal email, messaging apps, WhatsApp and social media accounts should be
Know and follow your records management
Save
into official business systems.
Use collaborative systems
