A record type is a categorization of records based on common features among the records. You use record types when a group of records existing in a record category or record folder should have a disposition schedule that is different from the one currently associated with the record category or record folder. For example, it might be necessary to keep an employee record file for 12 years for accounting or payroll purposes. However, for performance appraisal records that need to be retained for only 7 years, you can create a record type with a different disposition schedule. You can associate performance appraisal records with this record type to ensure that appraisal records are destroyed before an employee record file. For more information on how disposition schedules are associated with a record, see Disposition Schedule Inheritance. Note that you can search for and retrieve records based on their record type.
A record type can be applied to a record in the following ways:
If you configure a default record type for a class, but do not display the record type metadata during declaration, then the default record type is always used for the class (the user is unaware that a record type is being used and does not have to select both a record class and a record type). Alternatively, you can configure a default, but give the user the option to choose a different record type, or you can simply give the user the option to choose the record type without configuring a default.