<I have always thought that "output" from a database is a record but
that the database itself and individual data objects/elements are not
records, due to their dynamic nature.>

Very true.  However, one must define what is an "output."  Not all
outputs are printed or saved as separate documents/files. In our case,
with the SAP system, one type of output is the various screens that are
based on the "objects" to which we apply retention.  For example, the
customer account screen shows a full summary of the customer and
billing/payment data for a particular customer and the account premise
screen shows a full summary of all the tap, meter, address, backflow,
etc. data for an address.  These screens or summaries are considered an
output in part because we print the screens in response to FOIA
requests, small volume subpoenas, customer requests under the Government
Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act (formerly the Personal
Privacy Act), and so on.  So we determine retention and records series
for the objects that are used to produce the screens.

Ginny Jones
(Virginia A. Jones, CRM, FAI)
Records Manager
Information Technology Division
Newport News Dept. of Public Utilities
Newport News, VA
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