Classifying Drafts

Introduction

A draft is a work in progress. Drafts can be preliminary versions of reports, letters, or other writings created as an author develops a cohesive and finished work. Drafts represent progressive versions of writing until a final product reaches some form of completion or approval. Or, a draft might be a simple sketch or drawing. It might be an outline of key points or a list of ideas. Drafts may be used to organize thoughts or to trigger memory of important information.

Within the expanse of records documenting government actions there are numerous examples and applications of the use of drafts. Field notes gathered and finalized in a subsequent report are drafts. Legislative bills in the process of being refined for presentation to the Legislative session are drafts. Email messages composed, but not yet sent are drafts.

Managing and classifying drafts requires analytical thinking. The following guidelines and legal references are designed to aid that analysis.

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