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Email is the standard for business communication internationally. While it is often a type of information that is treated differently than other types, it shouldn’t be. Email is often viewed as an informal means of communication due to its ease of creation and sheet volume. In reality, email management is a crucial part of records and information management, and efficient email management is needed to reduce risk, limit cost and meet legal requirements.

Email As Records

In simple teralms, a record is defined as information that is recorded in any format or medium, physically or electronically. Emails meet this definition of a record, and therefore controls must be placed on these records, as appropriate under guiding legislation and best practices.

Retaining Emails

Emails that have been identified as official records must be filed in the appropriate recordkeeping system or records repository. Attachments to emails should be captured and stored with the email message as the message often provides the context for the attachment. 

Depending on the recordkeeping system or records repository, the format in which the content is saved (ex. .pdf, .msg., .mbox) will differ. Specific information about the use of individual repositories and recordkeeping systems can be found in process documentation in individual business units, and should follow the University framework regarding systems of record. 

Deciding Which Emails to Keep

All information that is created, sent or received in the course of carrying out job responsibilities is a record subject to Alberta legislation and potentially an official record subject to management according to the approved records retention and disposition schedule. 

Email Triage

Email Sent 

Step 1: Is it a Record?

1. If yes, file it in Recordkeeping Software then move the original to trash. 
2. If no, proceed to step 2 . 

Step 2: Do you need a reference Copy? 

1. If Yes, move from inbox to Reference Label, review for continued relevance monthly, then move original to trash. 
2. If no, move the original to trash. 

Email Received

Step 1: Who was the sender?

1. If UAlberta staff, action email (forward/respond) then proceed to step 2. 
2. If External organization/student/Academic staff, proceed to step 3. 

Step 2: Do you need a Reference Copy? 

1. Move from Inbox to Reference Label, review for continued relevance monthly then move the original to trash. 

Step 3: In what context was it received? 

1. Copied recipient (cc or bcc), proceed to step 2. 
2. Sole recipient / Primary Recipient (to field), file it in recordkeeping software, action email (forward/respond) then move the original to trash. 

If you send an email that is an Official Record, it is expected that you capture it. 

Always use your professional judgement when filing emails. If there is doubt about if an Official Record has been filed, ask the sender. 

Email Management Practices

Effective Email Management 

• Use your @ualberta account for all University business. 
• Use short, meaningful subject lines. 
  • Use a naming convention if your area is using automated metadata capturing, or to assist in manual filing. 
• Create one email per subject, to facilitate easy filing. 
  • Avoid discussing multiple pieces of unrelated University business in the same email string. 
• Make privacy and confidentiality a priority. 
  • Limit personal information to what is strictly necessary, 
  • Ensure only the necessary and correct recipients receive the email,
  • Do not use email for personal communications. Never combine personal communications in emails with official University business. 
• Organize your emails as they are sent and received. 
  • Use subfolders to mimic your records retention schedule or departmental filing structure. 
• Routinely set out time to perform email management tasks once a month, at minimum. 
  • Transitory emails should be deleted after 30 days. 
  • Official records must be saved to the appropriate records repository. 
• Remember that all written records are responsive to information access requests. 
  • Do not send or retain emails with transitory information or personal comments if you would not want them released to an applicant. 

Ineffective Email Management 

• Keeping Everything/Doing Nothing
  • Email must be actively managed. If you are keeping every email, you are failing to abide by the Records Management Policy. 
• Inbox Archiving
  • Email archiving is the act of preserving all email to and from an employee. Email archiving is not an effective recordkeeping system, as official and transitory records are not classified, meaning only the longest possible retention period is observed; the contents of the email are often restricted to a single administrator, meaning the records in the inbox cannot be used for organizational decision making.
• Declaring ‘email’ as a record or filing series. 
  • Records are agnostic of format. An email is equally a record to any other document that has been created or received for University business purposes and should be accordingly categorizing with the proper filing and retention rules. 
• Maintaining Multiple Formats
  • You do not need to keep more than one format of your email record. If an email has been filed in official record repositories, the copy in the email system should be deleted.

See Email Management Guidelines

Related Resources and Contacts 

• Email Privacy
• Tips for Managing Emails