Records Management

Last updated on September 20, 2023

Government and broader public sector organizations manage their digital and physical records according to legislated requirements.

Government Records Service is currently reviewing and updating its guidance documentation. Please be patient with us as some links may be temporarily broken.

 

Records and Information Management Services

Government records services help clients manage government information responsibly. These include providing advice, learning resources, EDRMS services, scheduling and appraisal, and records transfer and storage. Expand each section below to learn more about these services:

 

Advice and Guidance

About this service

Government Records Service provides advice and guidance regarding the ongoing management of government information in accordance with relevant legislation, policy, and information schedules. Government Records Officers (GROs), analysts, and advisors, provide services through sector-based portfolios of client ministries, collaborating with ministries to champion effective and efficient information management (IM) practices.

GROs and their teams:

  • Advise on IM legislation, policy, practices, and appropriate recordkeeping systems as defined under the IMA
  • Consult on enhanced records management practices to improve business operations
  • Advocate and partner on the development of IM strategies and plans
  • Promote awareness of IM requirements and best practices
  • Work with program and IT staff on properly disposing information when decommissioning system applications
  • Support IM projects, compliance reviews, the development and implementation of information schedules, and the implementation of recordkeeping systems, including EDRMS Content Manager

Before you start

Review the list of Government Records Officer contacts and contact your GRO team at any time to discuss your information management needs. 

You may also want to review the Records Management Guides and Learning page, and available Learning resources (IDIR required), in preparation for a discussion with your GRO team.

Who is eligible?

B.C. Government Ministries.

What are the timelines?

You can expect to hear back from us within 2 business days.

Submit a request

For support managing your government information, contact your GRO team.

 

Enterprise Document and Records Management (EDRMS) Services

About this service

Government Records Service supports a government standard Enterprise Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) Content Manager to manage physical and electronic records.

The EDRMS Business Services team provides Help Desk support for:

  • Service requests (e.g., updating record classifications, dates, owners, etc.)
  • User access (new users, modifications to existing users, deactivations)
  • EDRMS system implementations

Before you start

B.C. Government ministries manage records life cycle through recordkeeping systems. Check out the Records Management systems page, EDRMS Content Manager Tips, and Learning resources (IDIR required).

Who is eligible?

B.C. Government Ministries.

What are the timelines?

You can expect to hear back from us within 2 business days.

Submit a request

Current users can ask EDRMS Help for support using the system, and prospective users can request information about getting EDRMS Content Manager from the EDRMS Business Services Team.

 

Information Management (IM) Learning Resources

About this service

Government Records Service (GRS) Learning develops self-directed, interactive, eLearning courses on a variety of information and records management subjects and hosts monthly Records Management Community of Practice webinars.

Access our online records management training and information about our monthly RM Community of Practice webinars on the GRS Learning page (IDIR required).

Before you start

Review the Records Management Guides and Learning page for additional information and records management resources. 

Who is eligible? 

B.C. Government Ministries.

What are the timelines?

You can expect to hear back from us within 2 business days.

Submit a request 

Reach out to the GRS Learning team about our eLearning program or to request technical support.

 

Information Scheduling and Appraisal

About this service

Government Records Service (GRS) Archivists develop, review, and amend information schedules to enable ministries to manage their information, including data and records, in accordance with legislation. GRS Archivists also appraise business area records, identifying those of enduring value while ensuring that others may be routinely destroyed when no longer required.

Additional services include: 

  • Reviewing information schedules developed by ministry staff and contractors to ensure alignment with set standards
  • Supporting the public consultation and review processes required for Chief Records Officer (CRO) approval and publication of information schedules
  • Reviewing records scheduled for selective retention (SR) in order to select a portion for archival transfer  

Before you start

First, review ARCS Online (Administrative Records Classification System), the ORCS Library (Operational Records Classification Systems), and the Special Schedules page to see if an approved information schedule exists that applies to records in your business area. Check out the Developer’s Handbook (IDIR required) for a detailed description of the schedule development process and supporting guidance. 

To learn about the criteria that determine what information is to be preserved in the archives review CIRMO Policy: Archival Appraisal of Government Information.

Who is eligible?

B.C. Government Ministries and designated government bodies.

What are the timelines?

You can expect to hear back from us within 5 business days.

Submit a request

Contact your GRO team to discuss information schedules needs for your business area.

 

Physical Records Transfer and Offsite Storage

About this service

Government Records Service's Records Centre Services (RCS) team co-ordinates with contracted storage facilities to facilitate offsite physical records transfers, retrieval processes, and the destruction of records in storage.

Once transferred to offsite storage, records are kept, destroyed or transferred to B.C. Archives according to approved Information Schedules.

Before you start

Review the process of preparing your records for offsite transfer or destruction using the Physical Records Transfer & Offsite Storage page, GRS Learning page (IDIR required), and the RIM Manual.

About this service

The RCS team provides support for:

  • Records transfer and offsite storage services
  • Retrieval processes
  • Disposition services

Who is eligible?

B.C. Government Ministries and eligible Broader Public Sector Agencies.

What are the timelines?

You can expect to hear back from us within 2 business days.

Submit a request

Reach out to the RCS team for questions related to records transfer, offsite storage, records retrieval or disposition services.

 

Governance

Learn more about information management governance:

Find Information Schedules

Information schedules determine how records are classified and managed during all stages of their use.

Search by keyword or schedule number to find information schedules.

Search ARCS

Search ORCS

Resources

Learn how government records are managed:

Government Records Service - Intranet (IDIR required) 

Contact information

Contact records officers for:

For all inquiries, please contact GRS@gov.bc.ca. We monitor this inbox from 8AM - 4PM Mon-Fri.