Records management

What is Records Management? 

Records Management is the practice and organisational function of managing information across all formats in accordance with legal, operational and business needs. This is applied during its creation, maintenance, distribution, organisation, retention, storage and disposal. 

Why is it important? 

Records are a corporate asset of the University, serving as evidence of activities and decisions. They are vital to the University in its current and future operations.   

Records management delivers organisation wide benefits such as:  

• Compliance - Adhering to legislation such as the Data Protection Act (2018), UK GDPR and Freedom of Information Act (2000). 
• Transparency - Maintaining the integrity and reliability of records. 
• Sustainability – Reducing environmental impact by making better use of physical, server and cloud storage.
• Efficiency – Improving access to information through file plans and document controls saving staff time.
• Cost – Undertaking disposal reduces the cost of physical and digital storage. 
• Institutional memory – Ensuring that records of key decisions and historic value are maintained and transferred to the University Archive for preservation.  

Who is responsible?

All staff carrying out work on behalf of the University have records management responsibilities. 

This includes:  

• Following policies and procedures to ensure that information is handled responsibly and securely, especially where personal data is being handled. 
• Carrying out retention and disposal activities in accordance with the Records Management and Retention Policy.    

Additional responsibilities for legal compliance, risk and assurance are held by the Data Protection Officer (DPO), Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) and members of the Information Asset Network.  

The Information Compliance Team, through the records management function is responsible for creating policy, procedures and guidance for the business to follow. Further information for staff can be found on SharePoint. 

Records management policy 

The University's Records management policy outlines the University’s commitment to creating and keeping accurate and reliable records, documents and data. The policy applies to all records created, received, maintained and held, in all formats, by staff of the University while carrying out their business functions.

ICP-03 Records management policy

Records Retention Schedule 

The University's Records Retention Schedule (RRS) provides a standard for knowing how long information should be kept and when it can be disposed providing legal and business justifications. 

Records retention schedule (PDF, 2,575kB).

Guidance for staff on how to use the schedule can be found on SharePoint. 

Business Classification Scheme 

A Business Classification Scheme (BCS) is a conceptual representation of an organisation’s business. It describes an organisation’s business functions and activities, and the relationships between them. The objective is to manage information according to its business context irrespective of where it’s created, used, maintained, and disposed within the University of Bristol. 

Business classification scheme (PDF, 962kB).

Guidance for staff on utilising the BCS can be found on SharePoint. 

Information Asset Register  

The Information Asset Register (IAR) is a record of all information assets held by professional services divisions, academic schools and faculties. The IAR helps to ensure that the University complies with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), namely article 30. 

The Information Asset Register and associated Records of Processing activities (ROPA) are key mechanisms for ensuring that records management principles are applied consistently across the institution especially where personal data is concerned.

To find out more, please visit the Information Asset Register page. Staff can also refer to internal guidance on SharePoint. 

The University Archive 

The University Archive preserves University records with archival value, providing evidence of the University's most significant functions and activities. These may also have significance for long-term research value or cultural purposes. 

• The University Archive is managed by the University's Special Collections based in the Arts and Social Sciences Library.
• The Records Retention Schedule identifies key records to be transferred to the University Archive.

Further details about the University Archive, including the internal transfer procedure, digital preservation policy and collections development policy can be found on the Special Collections website.  

To contact the special collections please email: special-collections@bristol.ac.uk.