Registry of public records
The registry of public records (diarium) contains records drawn up (upprättade), received or sent, and a record of actions taken. By registering records within a casefile (ärende) in the registry of public records, they can be easily retrieved when needed, both internally and for disclosure to the public.
Public records are also sometimes referred to as official documents.
Why do we keep a registry of records?
Stockholm University keeps a registry of public records because we want them to be preserved and accessible. We also need to be able to find our records when we, or a member of the public, needs them. The records are registered in casefiles (ärende). It is important to be able to see who is responsible for each casefile, what records and actions are recorded in the casefile and whether the case has been closed.
In practical terms, registering means that a casefile is created in the registry and assigned a unique registry ID (diarienummer). A casefile may contain several records, each of which has a record ID, which are kept together by the registry ID.
The University's software support for the registry is the W3D3 registration system.
Responsibilities and restrictions
Access to the registry is granted to those who need to register public records (diarieföra) or process cases (ärenden). Users should only access the records needed to carry out their work.
Who registers records in the registry?
Records are registered at both the University administration and department (institution) level. Each department has a series (diarieserie) in which the department's public records are registered. The university administration has its own series.
Role of the Central Registry Services
The Central Registry Services (centrala registraturen) is responsible for managing and supporting the registration of public records. Stockholm University has two main registrars.
The Central Registry Services has two roles:
- to support records management at the university administration and to register the university administration’s public records
- to support the departments
The Central Registry Services supports the departments by:
- providing support and answering questions
- providing training in registration and the W3D3 system
- acting as a controller
- being the administrative manager for the W3D3 system
- compiling the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern) balance sheet annually
Role of the local registrar (registrator)
Each department is its own archive creator (delarkivbildare) and the local registrar work with the department's registry in a series.
The duties of the local registrar include:
- registering incoming, outgoing and drawn up records
- assisting in the retrieval of casefiles and the disclosure of records
- reminding colleagues of casefiles that need to be completed or closed
- being proactive in looking at what processes can be streamlined
How do we register?
Registering records should be done without delay. This means that registration should preferably take place on the same day as the record is received or drawn up. An employee who has been sent a public record must therefore ensure that the record is immediately submitted to the registrar for registration.
The following information must be recorded and appear in the register:
- the date on which the record was received or drawn up
- the registry ID or other designation assigned to the record
- from whom the record was received or to whom it was sent
- briefly what the record concerns.
If necessary for reasons of confidentiality or to prevent the disclosure of sensitive personal data to unauthorised persons, the information referred to in bullet points 3 and/or 4 may be omitted or separated out so that the register remain accessible to the public. If you have any questions, please contact the university lawyers through Fråga juristen (via the Service Portal).
Which records must be registered?
Public records, such as applications, decisions and agreements, must generally be registered. Records containing confidential information must be registered. For detailed information, see the records retention schedule (informationshanteringsplanen).
It is important that records are handled correctly in the registry.
Exceptions to registering public records
Records that do not contain confidential information and that can be kept in order do not always need to be registered
Some records of a temporary or generic nature, such as invitations and miscellaneous requests, do not need to be registered. These records are not always included in the records retention schedule, as they can occur in many different processes.
Records that are not public records do not need to be registered, for example: drafts, concepts, proposals sent between public authorities for consultation, supporting records and working material for letters and decisions that have not yet been drawn up.
Learn about Records and public records
The records retention schedule
The records retention schedule describes how the university’s records and information are to be managed (regardless of format) and governs the handling of public records. It describes, for example, whether the record should be registered in the registry of public records, archived and preserved in the local archive (närarkiv) or whether it may be deleted either immediately or after a certain retention period.
The records retention schedule is a tool for creating uniform and appropriate procedures for records management. Uniform procedures are needed to comply with legislation that requires us to keep our public records in order and to facilitate searchability. The records retention schedule is a tool for all employees at Stockholm University.
You can find the schedule and reading references here: Records retention schedule
Digital records
Registrars work together to reduce analogue records in order to preserve records digitally as far as possible.
Records created and received digitally must be preserved digitally. They do not need to be printed on paper. As far as possible, records should be preserved digitally in PDF/A format, while Excel format should be avoided.
Some paper records can be deleted after scanning, provided that the records are scanned when they are received or created, and that the controls and requirements of the procedures are met.
An exception to the rule on digital preservation is if the record has a physical signature or similar which means that the original record must also be saved in paper format.
Learn about Organising and structuring information (LÄNKA)
The W3D3 record-keeping system
W3D3 is an administrative support system for the registration of public records and electronic record management.
Digital records in W3D3
In W3D3, records can be registered by transferring digital files to a record card (handlingskort) in the case. For records created or received on paper, the record can be scanned and a digital copy attached to the casefile in W3D3. The paper original needs to be kept in a casefile in the local archive (närarkiv), unless there is a local application decision on destruction after scanning.
Examples of file formats that can be inserted:
- PDF/A
- word (*.docx)
- excel (*xlsx)
- email (*.msg)
Example of file formats that should not be inserted:
- *.zip (also applies to email attachments)
The JK balance sheet
Every year, Stockholm University must submit a so-called JK balance sheet to the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern).
Only certain cases must be reported and in order for these cases to be included in the list, the “JK-balans” checkbox must be ticked in W3D3. It is therefore important that the registrar regularly make these ticks in the system for the cases for which there are reporting requirements. The cases to be marked are shown in the records retention schedule in the “JK-balans” column.
Closing cases
Staff must ensure that a case is closed when a decision on the case has been made or when the case is fully concluded. When required, any original paper records should also be sent to the local registry for archiving.
