About EAC-F XML guide

This guide introduces the new EAC-F XML standard for representing functions in structured and interoperable ways and explains the principles of function description within archival catalogues. It aims to support archivists, records professionals, and information specialists in understanding both the conceptual and practical dimensions of function description.

Functions matter - Why and How

In contemporary archival practice, archival description focuses primarily on what is created (records) and who creates them (agents). But it’s equally important to understand why records are created and how organizational responsibilities influence their production. Describing functions helps reveal the purpose, responsibilities, and activities behind records. By documenting functions, both archival professionals and audiences gain a more complete understanding of institutional activity, decision-making processes, and the operational environments in which records are created.

Stability of Organizational Functions

Frequent changes in organizational structures and staffing are characteristic of the evolution of most organizations over time. In the past—and even more so today—organizations have undergone increasingly frequent internal restructuring, accompanied by changes in roles and responsibilities. Mergers, reorganizations, the abolition and creation of units and departments, and other structural adjustments are common features of organizational transformation. In contrast to agents, an organization’s activities and functions, particularly its core functions, tend to remain relatively stable. This stability provides continuity in the interpretation of records across institutional reforms, organizational restructuring, and shifts in responsibilities.

Functions in the Organizational Context

In a business or administrative context, a function represents the purpose of an organizational area or division that performs specific activities, provides specialized information, or implements procedures (ISO/TS 55010:2024, 3.20). Importantly, a function is not defined by organizational charts or job roles but by the underlying purpose of the work being done. It’s the “reason for being” of a particular operation.

Functions in the Archival Context

From an archival perspective, functions are understood not only as the high-level purposes or responsibilities of a corporate body, but also as expressions of the authority assigned through legislation, policy, or mandate that enable it to achieve its strategic objectives through a coherent set of activities (ISO 15489-1:2016, 3.11; ISDF:2007, p.10). Furthermore, the concept of functions is reflected in Records in Contexts (RiC) through the entity Activity, which encompasses both the process (how) and the purpose (why).

The Core Triad of Archival Context

Together, records, agents and functions form the core triad of archival context, enabling archivists to understand not only what records exist, but also by whom, why and how they were created. Archival context encompasses the organizational, functional, and operational circumstances surrounding the creation or receipt, use, and maintenance of archival materials, including their relationships with other records. Within this framework, the inclusion of functions in archival documentation adds crucial value, not only by illuminating the archival context itself, but by bridging gaps in lost or poorly preserved archival records or in incomplete descriptions of agents, where sufficient information is unavailable.

Describing Functions

A function description aims to provide structured information that defines and contextualizes a function within an organizational system. The key elements of a function description are the type of function—such as subfunction, business process, activity, task, or transaction—which indicates its level within the organizational hierarchy; the form(s) of name used to ensure consistent identification; and the dates, including a start date and, where relevant, an end date or date span, which define the period of activity.(ISDF:2007) Additional key information includes a clear description of the function, outlining what it involves, and its purpose, explaining the reason for its existence and intended objectives, as well as its history, documenting how and why the function was performed over time, including the roles of office holders, departments, or other responsible bodies involved. The documentation process may also involve a preparatory stage to determine the appropriate level of description and the required or optional information to be recorded. To support contextual understanding, a business classification scheme is often used as a tool that links records to the functional context of their creation and use.

About EAC-F XML standard

The EAC-F XML standard is derived from the ICA standard International Standard for Describing Functions (ISDF), which defines the functions and activities of content creators, typically corporate bodies. It builds on ISDF while also incorporating selected elements and concepts from the revised Encoded Archival Context – Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (EAC-CPF), where appropriate. Particular emphasis has been placed on ensuring that the XML description is suitable for linked data environments. Each EAF record documents a distinct unit of description of a single function, enabling it to be related to other functions, activities, records, and agents. This supports the creation of a series of interrelated records, providing a high degree of flexibility in linking each function to other functions and contextual entities. It also allows organizational relationships to be documented in detail, clearly illustrating the connections between different functions as well as their links to agents and records.

Ontologies for describing functions and activities, such as those used in the Records in Contexts (RiC) model, can be readily reused. Further recommendations regarding appropriate ontologies will be provided in the documentation.