Section 2: Questions about “Certain other types of Electronic Messages”
Return to the FAQ Table of Contents
1. Why is NARA incrementally expanding Capstone, and excluding some types of electronic messages from this GRS?
The universe of electronic messages is very broad. By limiting the scope of electronic messages covered by the GRS, it allows for the incremental expansion of the Capstone approach as NARA gains a better understanding of how agencies use messaging applications.
NARA determined that electronic messages that are typically affiliated with other records – and rely on those other records to understand context – should be excluded. For example:
- Chat messages affiliated with collaboration platforms lose their value when separated from other records on the collaboration platform, such as a project file;
- Chat messages affiliated with a video conferencing service lose their value when separated from the related records, such as the video recording itself.
Not having these exclusions would result in agencies having to capture, as a permanent record, any chat in collaboration platforms or video conferences in which even one Capstone official participates.
NOTE: Agencies are reminded that those electronic messages excluded from GRS 6.1 may still be federal records, and still require disposition authority. Please consult NARA Bulletin 2023-002, Expanding the Use of a Role-Based Approach (Capstone) for Electronic Messages or contact your NARA Appraisal Archivist for additional information and guidance
2. What are examples of the certain other types of electronic messages included and excluded in the scope of “electronic messages”?
Below is a non-exhaustive list of examples of applications and platforms that create the types of records that are included and excluded in the scope section of the GRS:
| Included in Scope: generally, the GRS 6.1 includes electronic messages that do not lose context when separated from other records. | |
| Scope | Examples |
|---|---|
| Messages affiliated with email system chat or messaging functions, and where the messages are managed independently from the email |
Google Chat, Microsoft Teams Chat (excluding channels), etc. NOTE: may include electronic messages created inside a meeting that cannot be segregated from other messages that are included here, such as chat associated with Microsoft Teams meetings. |
|
Messages from messaging services provided on mobile devices |
Messages on IOS or Android devices, etc. This category generally includes any stand-alone text feature on mobile devices that usually don’t require additional download. |
|
Messages from messaging services on third-party applications |
WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, WeChat, SnapChat, etc. |
| Excluded from Scope: generally, GRS 6.1 excludes any messages that would lose context when separated from other records within a larger collaboration platform or environment. | |
| Exclusions | Examples |
|---|---|
|
Messages affiliated with social media accounts / social media direct messaging services |
Facebook (Facebook Messenger), Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc. |
| Messages affiliated with messaging services provided on video conferencing applications and services | Zoom, YouTube, Skype, Google Meet / Hangouts, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams meetings, Cisco WebEx, etc. |
| Messages affiliated with collaboration platforms |
SharePoint, Microsoft Teams channel messages, etc. |
| Messages affiliated with applications whose primary purpose is not communication | Finance management system that contains a messaging feature |
NOTE: Agencies are reminded that those electronic messages excluded from GRS 6.1 may still be federal records, and still require disposition authority. Please consult NARA Bulletin 2023-002, Expanding the Use of a Role-Based Approach (Capstone) for Electronic Messages or contact your NARA Appraisal Archivist for additional information and guidance.
3. If an agency is using this GRS for electronic messages, may it only apply the GRS to certain records listed in the inclusions section of the scope?
No. Agencies using GRS 6.1 for the other types of electronic messages included in the scope must apply it to all those types if they are being created, as well as to all ten categories included within the scope of the GRS. For example, if an agency has chat associated with email as well as text messages on personal devices, they cannot choose to apply the GRS only to the chat messages and not to the text messages. They must apply the GRS to all forms of other electronic messages they have that are covered by the GRS.
This will simplify implementation, by treating all records used for similar purposes the same in terms of disposition authority and will achieve consistency in how records are managed within federal agencies.
4. If an agency is not creating all of the types of electronic messages listed as inclusions within the GRS scope can it still use GRS 6.1?
Yes. In these instances, an agency should still select “Yes” within the “GRS Implementation Scope” field on the form NA-1005 even if they don’t create all of the electronic message types included in the scope of the GRS.
Those agencies that selected “yes” are then required to complete the “Electronic Messages” tab within Part B of the form. See the form for instructions on completing this section.
5. Are the other types of electronic messages all just transitory?
No. Agencies should consult the FAQ about Transitory Records in Electronic Messages before determining if any records are transitory.
6. What if my agency automatically forwards all electronic messages into each individual users’ email account?
In these instances, the messages should be managed as email records. This would also be the case for any message types, including voicemail, that are otherwise excluded from the scope of this GRS.