Glossary

Public record

A record in any form, created or received by a public office in the conduct of its affairs, regardless of format. A record can be part of a larger artefact: an attachment, an extract, or a case file.

In practice

A public record is created or received by a public office in the conduct of its affairs, : paper, email, Teams, or databases. A record can also be part of a larger artefact, such as an attachment, an extract, or a case file.

Frequently asked questions

Does format affect whether something is a public record?

No. A public record can be in any form: paper, email, chat, database entry, image, or audio. What matters is that a public office created or received it in conducting its affairs.

See it in the register

Public record, in one connected register.

IAR turns terms like this into working practice: assets classified against your disposal authority, stewarded by position, and ready to evidence.