Records Management
The records management system of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is defined in the UAB Archives Regulations as the part of the archival system that ensures the methods and procedures required for the development, implementation, and evaluation of the systems needed to manage records from the moment they are created or received until their use or final disposition.
The records management system includes the following instruments:
- An integrated system for the classification, coding (records classification scheme), and filing of records created or received by the University.
- An integrated records retention and disposal system (records retention and disposal schedule).
- An integrated system for the description of records and the automated management of records processing workflows.
The corporate records classification scheme is a hierarchical and logical functional structure of concepts that reflect the organization's functions and activities. It enables records to be identified and grouped, either physically or intellectually, and facilitates their retrieval.
It is the tool used to systematize and standardize the organization's documentary holdings.
The UAB has a functional and hierarchical records classification scheme.
Archival description is understood as the creation of an accurate representation of a unit of description and, where applicable, its component parts through the collection, analysis, organization, and recording of any information that serves to identify, manage, locate, and explain archival records. It also provides information about the context in which the records were created and the system according to which they have been organized.
The objectives of archival description are to:
- Facilitate access to records.
- Represent archival records in a clear and understandable way, providing information about their creation context, organization, and content.
- Enable verification of the authenticity and provenance of archival records by providing information on their history of preservation and custody, classification, and the circumstances of their creation and use.
The description of UAB’s archival holdings follows the criteria established by the Catalan Archival Description Standard (NODAC).
To determine the retention and disposal of records received or created in the course of its functions and activities, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona follows the provisions issued by the National Commission for Access, Appraisal and Records Disposal (CNAATD) of the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia.
The CNAATD evaluates and publishes the retention and disposal criteria applicable to the records series of public administrations.
These criteria establish how long records must be retained and whether they should be permanently preserved or securely disposed of once their administrative, legal, or historical value has been assessed.
National Commission for Access, Appraisal and Records Disposal (CNAATD).
The records disposal register of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona can be consulted in the attached file.
This file contains 2,350 records disposal entries managed by the UAB General Archive Unit, with disposal dates ranging from 25 November 1992 to 18 December 2025.
It serves as a control, traceability, and evidentiary tool for the appraisal and destruction (or withdrawal) of records in accordance with established records appraisal criteria.
Main Fields
- Register Number: A unique identifier for each disposal action (typically a records batch or documentary unit). In most cases, the first four digits indicate the year of registration (e.g., 1992001 = first entry of 1992). This field enables the operation to be referenced and audited.
- Years: Indicates the chronological coverage of the records disposed of (either a specific year or a date range, e.g., 1976–1982). This helps contextualize the records and verify that the disposal period complies with the established retention schedules.
- TAAD Code: The code of the Records Appraisal and Access Schedule (TAAD) identifying the records series and its retention, access, and final disposition requirements.
- Where the value is 0, no TAAD code applies.
- Description: Describes the type of records disposed of (e.g., invoices, payment orders, scholarship files, surveys, examination papers, working documents, etc.). This field is essential for understanding the nature of the records batch and justifying its disposal in accordance with the relevant TAAD schedule.
- Linear Metres: Indicates the physical volume of records disposed of, measured in linear metres of shelving. Decimal values may be used (e.g., 6.6). The total volume recorded in this file is 5,907.54 linear metres.
- Disposal Date: The effective date of disposal. This is usually recorded as a complete date, although some entries use an incomplete format (e.g., year only).
Through this register, the UAB General Archive Unit seeks to ensure transparency, internal control, and auditability by documenting:
- What records have been disposed of and from which period.
- The appraisal code (TAAD) under which the disposal was authorized.
- The volume of records involved and the date on which they were destroyed or withdrawn.
Updated as of 22 June 2026.