Records Management: Vital Records
A vital record is recorded information, regardless of format (i.e., paper, photo, database, magnetic tape), immediately necessary to begin recovery of business after a disaster or is essential to protecting the rights and interests of the organization, its employees, and the citizens of the commonwealth.
Vital records are records that will be needed in anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours after a disaster to get your office up and running again. They are records that, if lost or destroyed, would be both costly and time consuming to recreate - if they can be recreated at all. They can be active (currently used by the office) or inactive (in storage). Only a small percentage of your records will be vital.
Vital Records are:
- Vital to the function and mission of the University.
- Essential for the continuous operation or reconstruction of any University owned buildings.
- Necessary to establish or protect the legal or financial position of the University.
- Necessary to protect and ensure the rights and interests of the employees and clients of the University.
Examples of Vital Records:
Official Copies of:
- Blueprints of Facilities
- Tax receipts
- Contracts - Purchase, Lease or Rental
- Deeds for University-Owned Property
- Equipment Inventory Reports (Physical Inventories)
- General Ledgers
- Insurance policy information
- Payroll Folders
- Personnel Folders
- Security Codes
- Technical System Documentation
- Student Transcripts
How do I know if a record is a vital record?
