Create document libraries for retaining records

Applies To: Office SharePoint Server 2007

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Topic Last Modified: 2008-02-21

Document libraries provide the storage for records in the Records Center site. The recommended approach to creating document libraries for records retention is to create a document library for each type of record in your file plan. Users submit records to the Records Center by using a menu item on the Send To menu. Files will be automatically routed to the appropriate document libraries based on the settings configured in the Records Routing list. For more information about the Records Routing list, see Configure the Records Routing list.

It is not necessary to enable versioning when creating document libraries for retaining records. The records router automatically creates new versions of the records when they are submitted. A randomly generated identifier is appended to the record name to distinguish between versions. You can, however, enable versioning if a user has permissions to edit items in the Records Center. With versioning enabled, the entire version history is retained.

To create a document library for retaining records, perform the following procedures in the order listed:

To create a document library for records

1. On the top-level site of the Records Center, on the Site Actions menu, click Create.

2. In the Libraries column, click Document Library.

3. In the Name box, type a name for the library. The library name is required.

   The name appears at the top of the library page, becomes part of the address for the library page, and appears in navigational elements that help users to find and open the library. You also use the name of the library to associate the library with a type of record submitted to the Records Center site.

4. In the Description box, type a description of the purpose of the library. The description is optional.

5. To add a link to this library on the Quick Launch, verify that Yes is selected in the Navigation section.

6. To create a version each time a file is checked into the library, in the Document Version History section, click Yes to create a version each time a file is checked into the library.

   Important

   To protect records, always configure document libraries in the Records Center site to create a version each time a file is checked in. This protects against overwriting the original record if a record is edited and checked in. To ensure that previous versions of a document (including the original version of a record) are not deleted, make sure that no one who can use the document library has the Delete Versions permission.

7. Ignore the Document Template box. Records in a document library are added to the library by using the site's Record Routing list.

8. Click Create.

9. From any view of the document library, on the Settings menu, click Document Library Settings.

10. On the Customize page, in the Content Types section, click Add from existing site content types.

    If the list or library is not configured to allow multiple content types, the Content Types section does not appear on the Customize page for the list or library. In this case, do the following steps:

    1. In the General Settings column, click Advanced settings.

    2. On the Document Library Advanced Settings page, in the Content Types section, select Yes to allow management of content types.

    3. Click OK.

11. On the Add Content Types page, in the Select Content Types section, in the Select Site content types from list, click the name of the group of site content types from which you want to select.

12. In the Available Site Content Types list, click the content type that you want, and then click Add to move the selected content type to the Content types to add list.

13. After you have selected the content type that you want to add, click OK.

14. On the Settings menu, click Document Library Settings.

15. In the Permissions and Management column, click Information management policy settings.

16. In the Specify the policy section, select one of the following:

    • None: This is the default setting.

    • Define a policy: When selected, you can create or edit an information management policy. For more information about creating an information management policy, see Add an information management policy to a content type.

    • Use a site collection policy: When selected, you can select from a list of predefined information management policies.

17. Click OK.

To associate a record content type with a document library

1. On the home page of the Records Center, on the Quick Launch, click Record Routing.

2. On the Record Routing page, on the New menu, select New Item.

3. On the Record Routing: New Item page, type a title for the record content type in the Title box. This value is required.

   Important

   The title of the record content type represents the name of the content type to be routed. This name should correspond to an existing document content type.

4. Optionally, type a description for the record content type in the Description box.

5. In the Location box, enter the name of the document library where records matching this record routing item should be stored.

   Note

   Document libraries used to store submitted records cannot be deleted.

6. Optionally, type a "/" delimited list of alternative names that represent the record routing entry in the Aliases box.

7. Optionally, to route any items routed to the Records Center that do not contain a content type to this document library, select the Default box.

8. Click OK.

See Also

Concepts

Records management
Create a Records Center site
Configure workflows for managing records
Create information management policies for records
Create content types for records
Manage Records Center permissions
Configure the Records Routing list