Email message as a record of value procedure

This procedure explains how to determine if an email is a record and if it should be kept.

Governing policy: Electronic Communications Policy

Department: Office of City Clerk

Effective: September 10, 2005

Procedure

Users shall appropriately classify email transactions. If they are determined to be a record of value, users shall adhere to the appropriate records retention requirement.

Identifying an email message as a record of value

  1. The user (sender/recipient) determines the nature and content of the message sent via email, and whether the message is a record of value.
  2. The user assigns the record to the proper record series. For example, messages that contain draft budget projections for a particular division may be categorized as budget work papers.
  3. The user consults with their department records management coordinator about retention requirements for specific documents.
  4. The user saves the message in a word processing or paper file and not within the e-mail system. The user must save the context with the message (from, sent date, to, subject)
  5. The user destroys the message according to the City’s records retention policies.

Roles & responsibilities

  • Users are responsible for identify and classifying email transactions and meeting the appropriate retention requirements.
  • Supervisors and managers are responsible for educating staff about records retention guidelines and procedures.

Contact us

Records & Information Management

Office of City Clerk

Phone

612-673-5256

Temporary office location

250 S. Fourth St., Room 200
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Mailing address

City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 304
Minneapolis, MN 55415