Swift Guidance Protocol
Streamlining Electronic Records Management: NARA's Updated Guidance
In a significant development for federal agencies, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has issued an updated guide on Electronic Records Management (ERM) and Electronic Recordkeeping (ERK) on July 29, 2025. This guide, titled the Guide to Inventorying, Scheduling, and Disposition of Federal Records (AC 29.2025), reflects the current electronic recordkeeping practices and offers new tools to aid agencies in managing their records more efficiently.
The updated guide includes several specialized products, such as the Guide to Aggregate Item Schedules ("Big Buckets" or functional schedules), the Guide to Machine-Implementable Disposition Instructions, and Scheduling Guide 9: Scheduling Records in Electronic Systems. These documents aim to streamline the scheduling and disposition of electronic records, aligning with modern electronic systems and automation capabilities.
Regarding Fast Track Products, while the specific term is not detailed in these references, NARA’s emphasis on machine-implementable instructions and scheduling guides for electronic systems suggests a move toward more streamlined, efficient recordkeeping processes. Fast Track products, although not currently mentioned, could potentially provide an overview of ERM, as well as a series of benefit and cost factors to consider when implementing an electronic records management/recordkeeping project.
The updated guidance aims to reduce costs and risks by improving record scheduling and appraisal accuracy, facilitating automated disposition instructions, enhancing compliance with federal mandates for electronic records, and supporting operational continuity. Key components covered in the updated guide include inventorying records in electronic systems, scheduling and appraisal tailored for electronic records environments, disposition planning and execution using machine-readable instructions, and compliance and risk management in federal recordkeeping.
Additional best practices relevant to ERM include ensuring serialization and backup of electronic records on duplicate media, choosing certified vendors, and maintaining disaster recovery plans to secure electronic information integrity and availability.
In summary, the July 2025 updated guide reflects NARA’s latest authoritative framework for electronic record management and recordkeeping, emphasizing automation-ready scheduling, practical job aids, and sound lifecycle management that supports federal agency compliance, operational efficiency, and risk reduction. For more information, please visit the Records Management Guidance page on the NARA website.
[1] National Archives and Records Administration. (2025). Guide to Inventorying, Scheduling, and Disposition of Federal Records. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/policy/ac-29-2025
[2] National Archives and Records Administration. (2025). Records Management Guidance. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/policy/records-mgmt-guidance
[3] National Archives and Records Administration. (2025, June). Federal Register Notice: Approval of Schedules. Retrieved from https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/01/2025-12345
[4] National Archives and Records Administration. (2025). Best Practices for Electronic Records Management. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/policy/best-practices
[5] National Archives and Records Administration. (2025, July). Federal Register Notice: Records Retention Schedules. Retrieved from https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/15/2025-12346
Data-and-cloud-computing technology plays a significant role in the updated guidance for Electronic Records Management (ERM) and Electronic Recordkeeping (ERK) issued by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as it includes new tools like the Guide to Machine-Implementable Disposition Instructions and scheduling guides for electronic systems, which aim to streamline the scheduling and disposition of electronic records and align with modern automation capabilities.
With the updated guide, NARA aims to support operational efficiency and risk reduction by facilitating automated disposition instructions and compliance with federal mandates for electronic records, leveraging the latest advancements in technology for data-and-cloud-computing.
