An updated bulletin on using email archiving solutions was recently published by the  U. S. National Archives and Record Management Administration (NARA).  This bulletin provides questions and guidance to U. S. Federal agencies on using e-mail archiving applications and similar technologies for managing e-mail records. Good until 2010, the bulletin advises agencies that:

• Although e-mail archiving applications may provide business benefits to an agency, e-mail archiving applications can be limited in their capabilities to keep and organize records according to records management laws, regulations, and policies.
• If an agency decides to use e-mail archiving applications to manage Federal records the agency is responsible for addressing those areas where the applications do not meet the requirements of the Federal Records Act and applicable NARA regulations.

Below are some more highlights of this very interesting bulletin, which provides standards for all U. S. government agencies.

What are the requirements for managing e-mail messages as Federal records?

Record keeping systems that include electronic mail messages must:

• Provide for the grouping of related records into classifications according to the nature of the business purposes the records serve;
• Permit easy and timely retrieval of both individual records and files or other groupings of related records.
• Retain the records in a usable format for their required retention period as specified by a NARA-approved records schedule;
• Be accessible by individuals who have a business need for information in the system;
• Preserve the transmission and receipt data specified in agency instructions; and
• Permit transfer of permanent records to the National Archives and Records Administration (see 36 CFR 1228.270 and 36 CFR 1234.32(a)).

What are the benefits of e-mail archiving applications?
Depending on the agency and its business purposes, e-mail archiving applications may provide the following benefits. Each application has different features and different strengths, so this list is not exhaustive:

• More efficient storage of e-mail because it is moved from a distributed network of servers, desktop applications, and other places to be managed in one place;
• Enhanced electronic search capability for content that may be germane to a subpoena, Freedom of Information Act request, e-discovery request, or similar purpose;
• Assists in back-up and disaster recovery.

What else is NARA doing in regards to e-mail archiving applications?
NARA is monitoring Federal agencies deploying or considering deploying e-mail archiving applications in order to evaluate what steps agencies may take to ameliorate recordkeeping issues posed by this emerging technology. We continue to study e-mail archiving and recognize that software developments may eventually bring these technologies in closer accordance with good recordkeeping practices.