Overall, the search and retrieval of responsive e-mail documents should be quick and easy for multiple authorized users. An electronic record keeping system should be able to search for documents within a certain time frame, by a particular topic or key words, created by a particular individual. An electronic record keeping system should have the ability to recognize and identify when an e-mail record may be deleted, transferred to a records centre or if appropriate, to the Archives. Authorized users should be able to search, find, view, and print the document for as long as it needs to be officially retained. E-mail documents containing personal information need to be retained for a minimum of one year.
Contextual information is important.
Without it, an e-mail document may have no value as a record. With an e-mail this information is not necessarily obvious. Contextual information such as transmission and receipt data should be retained along with the text of the e-mail message. The original electronic record should be preserved. Changed or revised or subsequent documents should be designated as new, dated, linked to the original and all other related documents, and be recognizable as a version.