This page contains information on common queries received by State Records Office staff.
A Glossary of Terms used in State Records Commission and State Records Office publications is available for download.
If you have an information query that is not covered within this section please feel free to contact the staff of the State Records Office on (08) 9427 3360 or via email at sro@sro.wa.gov.au.
General Questions
What are State records?
State records are any record of information (in any form) created, received or maintained by a government agency or parliamentary department in the course of conducting its business activities.
Are State records the same as Public records?
Yes.
What are State archives?
State archives are State records that must be retained permanently. They must be retained within the State Records Office or an approved archival repository.
Electronic records designated as having archival value are to remain in the custody of the agency which created or managed them. These records must be managed in accordance with Public Records Policy No.8, which can be found in the State Records Office Policies and Standards Manual.
What are intermediate records?
Intermediate or semi-active records are those with declining current administrative value, that have not yet attained the prescribed age for destruction.
What is the difference between "disposal" and "destruction"?
Disposal refers to the removal of records from an agency once they have reached the inactive phase. Destruction refers to the act of destroying records so that no information is retrievable.
Disposal can take the form of destruction (the physical destruction of records that are no longer of value) or archiving (permanent retention of records that have enduring value).
What are ephemeral records?
Ephemeral records are those with only short-term value to an organisation, as they contain little or no ongoing administrative, fiscal, legal, evidential or historical value. They are usually not incorporated into the agency's recordkeeping system.
Government agencies are advised to include ephemeral records as a category in their Retention and Disposal Schedules.
What is the State Records Act?
The State Records Act received the Governor's assent in November 2000. It outlines the requirements of government for the keeping of State records. The Act repeals the recordkeeping provisions in the Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951-1983.
Further details on the State Records Act, and information on other legislation affecting records management in Western Australia can be found on our State Records Act 2000 page.
What are General Disposal Authorities and how can I obtain them?
General Disposal Authorities (GDA's) are documents which specify how to dispose of particular series of records common to most government agencies. At present, the State Records Office publishes GDA's for the financial and accounting records, human resource management records and administrative records of State Government agencies, and the functional and administrative records of local Governments.
Some of the criteria and decisions used in the GDA's may be adopted in developing an Retention and Disposal Schedule and a reference to a GDA included in the R&D but the GDA elements themselves may not be included in the R&D unless there is good reason to do so.
For example, it is acceptable to use the appropriate headings with a statement referring the user to the relevant GDA as outlined below:
- Administrative records – refer to the GDA for Administrative Records
- Finance & Accounting records – refer to the GDA for Finance & Accounting Records
- Human Resource records – refer to the GDA for Human Resource Management Records
It is not acceptable to cut and paste large sections from the GDAs into the functional R&Ds.
Please contact the Recordkeeping Services Team on 9427 3365 if you require assistance or clarification. Copies of these and other State Records Office publications can be obtained by downloading the Publication Order Form.
What is a Retention and Disposal Schedule and why do I need one?
A Retention and Disposal Schedule (R&D) is a systematic and comprehensive listing of categories, or series, of records created by an agency that plans the life of those records from creation to ultimate disposition.
R&D's need only be developed specifically for functional records relating to the core activities of a particular agency, as distinct from General Disposal Authorities (GDA's), which apply to records common to most government agencies such as financial records, human resource management records and administrative records.
Under the terms of the State Records Act 2000, State records can only be destroyed or disposed of via an approved disposal authority, such as a R&D which forms part of the Recordkeeping Plan, or under a GDA, prepared by the State Records Office for agencies to use.
What is the SRAC?
The SRAC (State Records Advisory Committee) is a committee of the State Records Commission, established to make recommendations with regard to the retention or destruction of any State records and any other relevant matters. State records cannot be destroyed without the approval of the State Records Commission.
When should I transfer records to the State Records Office?
The State Records Act 2000 states that Government agencies must transfer archival records to the State Records Office when the records become 25 years old. Archival records may be transferred sooner if not required for current administrative purposes. The age of a record is determined from the date it is created.
How do I transfer records to the State Records Office?
Agencies wishing to transfer archival records to the State Records Office will be required to provide information about the agency and records series (if this has not already been provided). Each consignment, or group of records for transfer, will also need to be registered.
Can I restrict access to my agency's archives?
Agencies may request to restrict public access to their records. If this is desired, the agency must notify the State Archivist and Executive Director State Records in writing, outlining which records are to be restricted and why. Under the terms of the State Records Act 2000, authorisation for such decision-making rests with the State Records Commission.
Any researchers wishing to access restricted records will need to obtain written permission from the appropriate agency to do so.
Where can I get advice on how to deal with recordkeeping issues?
The State Records Office is able to provide free advice, via telephone or email, on all aspects of recordkeeping. For complex queries, one-on-one meetings or an on-site consultancy service are available on request.
Further information on the consultancy service can be found on our Recordkeeping Advice And Consultancy page.
Electronic Records
What is an electronic record?
An electronic record is any information that is input onto a computer system or any other electronic device, and processed, modified, stored and accessed via that system or device. Electronic records include word processing files, electronic spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, internet and intranet systems, and imaged documents. The information within electronic records must be appraised in the same way as paper-based records.
What is metadata?
Metadata is "data about data" - that is, the data that must be captured alongside an electronic record that provides contextual information and supports its management and use. Examples of metadata include: date and time of creation and registration, author, document name, links to records related to the same sequence of business activity, and directory trees.
What is migration and why is it important?
Migration is the conversion of existing data to new hardware, software and/or storage media to maintain its readability. Migration is necessary to preserve the functionality and integrity of electronic records for the entirety of their designated retention period.
What do I do with electronic records of archival value?
Electronic records of archival value must be managed by the agency that created or kept them. This agency is responsible for ensuring that these records are held in secure conditions and that the data is migrated as necessary to maintain readability indefinitely (see previous question). Electronic records of archival value must be managed in accordance with Public Records Policy No.8, which can be found in the SRO Policies and Standards Manual.
How do I destroy electronic records?
Guidance on this issue is currently being developed. For more information, please contact the Recordkeeping Services Team on 9427 3365 or email sro@sro.wa.gov.au.
What is cloud computing and can it be used within my agency?
The Australasian Digital Records Initiative (ADRI) refers to cloud computing as typically involving “the transfer to or creation of content in data stores which are maintained by the service provider and geographically remote from the customer”. While the State Records Act 2000 does not prohibit the use of such services for recordkeeping, the State Records Office recommends that State organizations intending to engage cloud computing services conduct a full analysis of associated risks. The ADRI document Advice on managing the recordkeeping risks associated with cloud computing contains further information on this issue.
GDA for Source Records
When should I scan in colour?
Scanning in colour is required whenever the document to be scanned has a colour element. This could be as simple as the heading or a logo, the background colour of the paper where the paper is other than standard office white or cream, or a stamp, including ‘copy’ or ‘received’. The rationale is that, as the scan is to replace the original document, it should be as close to, and have the same qualities and elements, as the original document.
Why can I only use the GDA for Source Records for records that are less than five years old?
The GDA Source is primarily intended for use by organizations that are scanning incoming records as part of their normal business processes. The time restriction ensures a) that current records are scanned and attached to a current recordkeeping system and b) that the records to be scanned are in good condition.
Can I undertake retrospective scanning?
Retrospective or backscanning exercises may be undertaken, however the source records cannot be destroyed without authorisation from the State Records Commission. A cost benefit exercise should be undertaken to determine the cost of preparing, scanning and capturing the scanned file into an EDRMS or business information system, and to maintaining links with original control documentation such as indexes and registers. Consideration should be given to whether the material is physically capable of being scanned and the methodology and equipment that is to be used.
What is pdf/a?
As identified in the GDA Source, pdf/a is the internationally accepted pdf format for long term retention of records. More information about pdf/a is available from the PDF/A Competency Centre http://www.pdfa.org/doku.php. Pdf/a is a recommended master file format for records with a minimum retention period longer than two years.
What version of pdf/a should I use?
IT departments and imaging providers should be consulted to determine which is the most appropriate version for the organisation. Pdf/a – 1a requires full compliance with the standard, and includes compulsory metadata elements, and may be best used for records which have a longer retention period. Pdf/a – 1b ensures minimal compliance with the standard.
How should I manage annotations or alterations to scanned files?
It should be remembered that the pdf/a scanned file is the master version and should be registered or captured in the EDRMS or business information system. A copy of the scanned file may be created for agency staff to view, and will be regarded as a duplicate record. An augmented pdf/a file (ie where the image has been annotated or altered in any way) would become a ‘born digital’ file which should be captured in accordance with the organisation’s digital recordkeeping procedures.
Keyword AAA
What is Keyword AAA?
Keyword AAA, produced by State Records New South Wales, is a thesaurus of general terms designed for classifying, titling and indexing most types of records. It should be used in conjunction with an agency's unique functional terms.
Who uses Keyword AAA?
Keyword AAA is used by a wide range of State and Local Government agencies and private organisations throughout Western Australia.
How can I obtain a copy of Keyword AAA?
The State Records Office has entered into an agreement with State Records New South Wales to act as distributor for Keyword AAA to State and Local Government agencies. For any queries regarding purchase, please contact the Keyword AAA Administrator on (08) 9427 3435 or sro@sro.wa.gov.au.