STAR 6.0: Standard for Administrative Records

Government of Nova Scotia
STAR: Standard for Administrative Records
Version 6.0

1.0 Structure and Content of STAR 6.0

2.0 Classification by Hierarchy

3.0 How to Use STAR Records Retention Schedules

4.0 How to Use STAR Online

1.0 Structure and Content of STAR 6.0

Its structure is based on an analysis of the administrative business functions of government departments and agencies.

There are four basic administrative functions, which are found in almost any organization:

Physical property asset management (facilities, equipment and supplies)

Financial management

Human resource management

Information management

These administrative functions are common to all government public bodies.

STAR has three hierarchical levels of records classification:

Main Groups

Primaries

Secondaries

STAR's basic principle for the classification and description of information is one in which information is classified from the general to the specific.

Classification Hierarchy
As one moves down through the classification hierarchy, each level becomes more specific and definitive.

Information access tool
This hierarchical structure creates a quick and easy way to access and retrieve information.

Standardized Descriptions
STAR provides users with a list of classification titles that describe all of the administrative records that might exist in a government office. It does not specify which records an office must have. Each office will only use those classifications for which they have records.

STAR classification system makes a distinction between the classification number given to a record or file, and the file code or file name.

A record can be made up of many files in different physical and electronic formats and locations. For example, in STAR, Employment History Case Files can include emails, letters, initial appointment records, master file summary sheet printouts from SAP, special leave request forms, medical records, and performance appraisals. The classification number and title assigned to this group or class of records are identifiers indicating the functions and activities to which records belong, pulling files and records together intellectually. STAR classification numbers are the same for each department and agency, with the exception of some records identified as having different disposition and retention according to the specific recordkeeping needs of some agencies.

From the STAR classification number we can identify what the records are likely to be, their records retention schedule and their final disposition. The records retention schedule is assigned to each secondary.

Files and Filing Systems
Using STAR does not mean that file names and filing systems should be changed. STAR fits over file systems. Each file classified under a particular STAR classification number will have its own unique code or name, which is assigned by the file's creator. This name or number is related to the physical use of the files, whether the file is placed in an alphabetical filing system, a filing system arranged by number or alphanumeric codes specific to a location. Whole groups of files and files systems identified under STAR classification numbers will be managed with the same retention schedule and final disposition. This makes STAR easy to implement with government files systems.

Main Groups

Main Groups are the top level in the classification hierarchy.

They describe business functions at their broadest level, and are used to group related primaries together.

STAR 6.0 is divided into five main groups:

Administration

Physical Property Asset Management

Financial Management

Human Resources Management

Information Management

Administration is the most general of the five main groups and contains primaries that could not be grouped into one of the more specific main groups.

The other four main groups describe specific administrative functions. Each main group is assigned a range of classification numbers.

Scope notes describe the function of the main group and usually include the names of the primaries. There are also scope notes in each level of the hierarchy.

Primaries

Primaries are the second level in the classification hierarchy. Each main group consists of a number of primaries.

Each primary has a unique title and classification number. The primary classification number begins with the number of the Main Group to which it is related.

In STAR, a four-digit number is used to designate the primary level. In STOR, a five-digit number is used to designate the primary level.

Each primary has a scope note that describes the business function covered by the primary. The scope note also includes types of activities, information found in records associated with the activities and examples of records found in that primary.

Cross references to other primaries are listed under the scope note.

In addition, the primary page includes a menu of Secondaries with retention schedules assigned to each secondary.

Secondaries

Secondaries are the subdivisions of a primary the most specific and the lowest level of classification in the hierarchy.

Each secondary has a two-digit classification number that is added to the primary number in order to create the full classification number. Records are classified at the secondary level. A complete classification number for a secondary consists of the primary number, followed by a hyphen, followed by the secondary number. For example, "1200-30", which indicates:

Main group is Administration,
Primary is Emergency Preparedness and Recovery
Secondary is Emergency Recovery Case Files.

Each secondary has a title that is unique within the primary. To facilitate classification, each secondary in STAR has a scope note that explains its use. The scope note is on the below the secondary menu on-line or found on the reverse page of the printed version.

Although the STAR/STOR classification system is structured from the general to the specific, when classifying records, because records are specific in nature, classifying begins at the most specific level. Secondary scope notes are very important because they provide the specific information necessary for making accurate classification decisions.

There are three types of Secondaries:

General

Subject Files

Case Files

General - 01 is a used for information relating to the primary as a whole or for information which cannot be classified in a specific secondary.

Subject Files - 20 contain reference information about specific subjects related to the primary. For instance, an office might create a subject file on office equipment, containing supplier catalogues and pamphlets.

The purpose of subject files is to bring together reference information about the function of the primary. They might contain copies of records from another part of the department to be used for informational use but not form part of a documented activity or transaction created by your office or section.

This material supports activities which are captured in the case files and are not part of the record. Subject files usually contain information about a departmental activity or policy, copies of government documents and records material outside of government but not usually the official record. Master Records belong in Case Files.

Case Files – 30-99 are used to classify records that are about a specific, time-limited entity, such as an event, project, program, business action, transaction, product, organization, or individual. Case Files provide evidence of a transaction, status, right, or obligation.

For instance, information about the purchase of office equipment, such as order forms, purchase orders, or cheque requisitions; belong in a case file in STAR.

Case File secondaries capture records specific to a particular primary. Case File secondaries are numbered “-30 through –99”.

STAR was created as a standard to fit recordkeeping requirements of departments and other public bodies such as agencies, boards and commissions, etc. STAR includes case files only applicable to agencies usually marked (by agency) in the title. Government agencies have different relationships with central departments such as the Public Service Commission and may be responsible for full recordkeeping of master records. For instance, after separation employee records in departments (and a few agencies) are transferred to the Public Service Commission, but most agencies are responsible for managing their own employee records.

Government /Department/Agency OPRs

Another element of STAR/STOR that provides instruction for managing records is the Office of Primary Responsibility which is found at the secondary level of STAR 6.0.

Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) is the department, title of a position or the name of an office in a government department or agency, which is responsible and accountable for the records relating to a particular business function. These records are known as the "master records". At each secondary in STAR and STOR there is a blank space for the name of the office which is the OPR for that class of records and should be filled in before STAR/STOR are implemented.

STAR/STOR structure allows for two levels of OPR:

Government OPR and Department/Agency OPR

Both levels appear in STAR and only one level (Department /Agency OPR) appears in STOR.

Because STAR is a government-wide standard to be used by both departments and agencies, OPR assignment has been placed at the secondary level to accommodate the needs of both. In departments many master records are managed by both the department and the central government departments such as the Department of Finance, the Public Service Commission, and the Department of Transportation and Public Works. The Government OPR identifies the government department responsible for managing the master record on behalf of the government, such as the Public Service Commission or the Department of Transportation and Public Works. These departments provide central administrative services to government departments and some agencies and their STORs manage certain records as operational records. For instance, TPW negotiates property insurance for government and assists departments in handling insurance claims and understanding specific policies and contracts. TPW is the OPR for most departments. In STAR the department’s “official” record has a shorter or same retention as TPW’s copy since TPW has accountability for the function. In an agency, the retention is longer because the agency is fully accountable for the function.

The Department/Agency OPR identifies the office in the public body that is responsible for managing that public body's master records.

Government/Department/Agency OPRs and are assigned in order to reduce duplication and to designate accountability for the records. The objective of the OPR is for the department or agency to be able to protect the completeness, authenticity, and integrity of the master record.

Government employees have a responsibility to ensure that the Department OPR's record is complete before disposing of any material.

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