Record Routing Type Table Overview

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The most important feature of the Records Center site template is the record routing type table, which the site uses to determine the location in which to store the files you submit.

Record Routing Type Table Data

Record managers create record routing types when they provision a records center site. Each records center has a record routing type table, which lists each record routing type that the records center recognizes and its associated storage location. For each record routing type, the record routing type table lists the information required by the Windows SharePoint Services records center Web service, as follows:

  • Name   The name of the record routing type, such as Contract or Product Spec.

  • Description   Optional. A short description of the record routing type.

  • Location   The storage location for files of this record routing type.

  • Aliases   Optional. Multiple aliases that you can associate with a single record routing type. A file submitted with an alias as its record routing type name is stored in the record routing type location. For example, for the Product Spec record routing type, you might specify Spec and Feature Spec as aliases. Files submitted with either alias are stored in the Product Spec location.

    If you specify multiple aliases for a single record routing type, separate the aliases with a slash mark—for example, Spec/Feature Spec.

    Note

    Record routing type names and aliases are not case-sensitive.

For more information about record routing types, see Record Routing Types.

Administering the Records Routing Type Table

Administrators can edit the record routing type table through the records center site home page.

In addition, the record routing type table is stored as a SharePoint list and can be manipulated through the object model. For example, the following code adds a new record routing type to the record routing type table for the given site.

SPSite site = new SPSite(this.serverUrl + "/" + this.ofsiteName);
SPWeb myWeb = site.OpenWeb();
RecordSeriesCollection recordSeries = new RecordSeriesCollection(myWeb);
RecordSeries recordSeriesEntry;
recordSeriesEntry = recordSeries.Items.Add();
recordSeriesEntry.Properties["Title"] = this.docLibA;
recordSeriesEntry.Properties["Location"] = this.docLibA;
recordSeriesEntry.Update();

Routing Submitted Files

Multiple document libraries can submit files of the same record routing type, and each document library can submit files of multiple record routing types. The record routing type table ensures that files of a given content type get stored in the correct record routing type location. It also enables record managers to map multiple content types to the same record routing type and, through this, to the same storage location.

In the following figure, multiple SharePoint document libraries are submitting files to the records center. The first document library submits files of two different content types. (When the files are submitted, Office SharePoint Server 2007 passes the content type name as the record routing type name. The record routing type name then matches these files to the appropriate storage location in the records center.) In one case, the document library is submitting a file with Spec as the record routing type. Using the record routing type table, the records center can determine that Spec is actually an alias for the Product Spec record routing type, and direct the file to the Product Spec storage location. The third document library is also submitting files of record routing type Product Spec, but this time using the Feature Spec alias.

Record repository with routing table overview

Note

Although record managers can define the record routing types in a records center independently of the content types defined for other SharePoint document libraries by their owners, a best practice is for the record managers and document library owners to coordinate their efforts. In that way, the content types created and the metadata specified for them can be correlated to record routing types, and the metadata required for the record routing types in a systematic, logical manner.

For more information about content types, see Content Types in the Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SDK.

Files with Invalid Record Routing Types

If you submit a file without a valid record routing type name or alias, the records center site assigns the default record routing type to it, and places the file in the appropriate document library for the default record routing type. The default record routing type is Unclassified Documents, which is included in the records center site template. However, you can set the default record routing type to be any record routing type you have defined for the records center.

Files that are placed in the default location still include information that can assist administrators in investigating and determining the proper storage location of the file, such as the URL of the original file, the login name of the user who submitted it, and the record routing type name with which it was submitted.

If you specify metadata requirements for the default location, and a file does not meet them, the records center site places the file in temporary storage until the user can specify the necessary metadata.

For more information about specifying metadata requirements for record routing types, see Required Metadata for Record Routing Types.

See Also

Concepts

Records Center Site Template
Records Center Site Management
Record Center File Processing