A record series is a group of records that share a relationship based on how or why they’re created, used, and/or maintained. Records in a record series should also share a need to be retained for the same amount of time.

Government entities decide how to group their own records into series. Record series should correspond with how an entity actually organizes and manages its records.

Documentation about an entity’s record series should include information about what the records are used for, where the records are located, how long the records need to be kept (the retention schedule), applicable laws and regulations, access restrictions, GRAMA designation, and privacy elements.

In Utah law, a record series is defined as “a group of records that may be treated as a unit for purposes of designation, description, management, or disposition” (Utah code 63G-2-103(26)).

A retention schedule is a plan for how long to keep the records in a record series. In Utah, retention schedules are required to be approved by the Records Management Committee (see Utah Code 63A-12-113(1)(b) and 63G-2-604(1)), with exceptions for political subdivisions (local government entities), the legislature, the judiciary, and the Governor and Lieutenant Governor’s Offices (Utah Code 63G-2-7).