Definitions of archival terms

Term	Meaning
Record	Any item we hold in our archives. Records come in many formats, including documents, maps, films, sound recordings and electronic files.
Record number	The number given to a record by the government agency that transferred it to us. Often, the parts of a record number represent subjects or functions. For example, in the record number 3/2/1 an agency may have used the number 3 to represent "human resources" and 2 to mean "recruitment".
Series	A group of records that are related to each other, like probated wills, coroners’ inquests or military service records. Each series has a series number.
Accession	A group of records that were transferred to us at the same time. Each accession has a code beginning with the letters W, A, D, or CH, depending which archive the record is held in.
Agency/controlling agency	The government agency that controls a record and can give you permission to access it. This is often the agency that transferred the record to us. Each government agency has a four-letter code.
Code/R-number	A number given to the record by Archives New Zealand. Each record has its own unique R-number.
Location	The Archives building that holds a record.
Access status	Whether you need permission to view a record. There are 3 types of access status. Open: you can order the record and view it in a reading room. Restricted: you need to get permission from the agency that controls the record if you want to view it. Find the agency's details on the record page in Collections search. May be restricted: contact us if you want to view the record.
Start year	The earliest date on the record – for example, in an immigration file this may be the year a person applied for their first visa.
End year	The last date on the record – for example, in a divorce file this may be the year the divorce was finalised with a Decree Absolute.