WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF DOCUMENTS? - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The life cycle of documents consists of a succession of stages through which a file passes throughout its useful life. These phases range from the creation of a document, through all its uses and modifications, until the moment of being destroyed or permanently archived.

The concept of the life cycle of documents was created in the United States after World War II. This was due to the need to find an appropriate way to handle a large number of files that had accumulated.

Image source: Wikimedia.org.

Each discipline approaches the life cycle of documents differently, taking into account its focus and the nature of the archive. For example, the life cycle of a legal document may have different stages than those of an academic document.

In each case, considerations of how long a document should be kept, how it should be stored or what should be its correct use vary. Similarly, there are also different approaches to the stages of its life cycle.

For example, there may be documents of no value to a company or a government entity due to their age. However, these same archives can have a high historical value for a museum.

Another fundamental difference is the one that exists between analog and digital documents. Although the importance lies in the content of the documents, the existence of digital files implies particularities in their handling and in the stages of their life cycle.

The three ages of documents

Image: slideplayer

In 1972 the historian Carlos Wyffels proposed the theory of the Three Ages. According to this, documents are objects that have a vital process during which their uses are transformed.

In general, documents are under intensive use immediately after creation and for a specified time. However, over time this use is reduced until the moment in which it stops completely, either because they are archived or destroyed.

According to Wyffels, this cycle that all documents go through is divided into three ages: the administrative or active age, the intermediate or semi-active age, and the inactive or historical age.

Administrative or active age (management file)

Refers to the active period of a document. It begins at the moment of its creation and goes through different stages in which it is frequently consulted, transferred and shared.

For example, the administrative age of a utility bill begins when it is generated. Then keep moving for a limited time - while delivered or emailed by a postman, when checking, and when paying.

The intermediate or semi-active age (central file)

It is that period in which the document has lost the usefulness for which it was created. Therefore, it is not as active in use as in administrative age. However, it is preserved and can be consulted infrequently.

For example, the intermediate age of a utility bill begins when, after paying it, it is filed in a folder. It is very likely that it will never be consulted again, however, it is kept on file in case a concern arises.

The semi-active life of documents can be variable depending on the type of document and depending on the context. A legal document, for example, may have a longer active life than a utility bill.

The inactive age or historical age (historical archive)

Refers to the final period of the archives. However, not all files have the same destination. Depending on their nature, they can be made historical or destroyed.

Historical archives are those that have a cultural or research value. Therefore, during this stage, preservation methods are sought to preserve them as completely as possible.

Stages in the life cycle of documents

The theory of the three ages establishes in a general way the fundamental phases that all documents go through. However, there are also other more specific stages that define the usefulness and handling of documents.

The stages a document goes through depend on its value, its use, and its context. According to these characteristics, it is determined which phases it must go through and what are the technical and administrative provisions for each one of them.

These are some of the main stages that a document goes through throughout its useful life:

1-Creation: consists of the creation of the document, either in printed or digital format.

2-Storage: according to the format in which the document has been created, it is stored physically or digitally. In some cases, the digitization stage is also considered, when it is part of the process.

3-Categorization: refers to the organization, classification or indexing of documents according to the parameters established in each context.

4-Transfer: refers to the sending and / or delivery of a document according to its characteristics. Currently this can refer to a delivery by physical mail or a delivery by email as the case may be.

5-Distribution: this stage refers to documents that are of public use or need, therefore after being created they need to be disclosed to a certain group of people.

6-Collaborative use: at present, files can be arranged for shared use and editing. This stage is of recent appearance and is considered exclusively for digital documents.

7-Consultation: refers to that stage in which the documents are arranged with the intention that they can be consulted. During this process, security and / or accessibility provisions are very important, depending on the public that is expected to access the information.

8-Archiving or destruction: this is the final stage in the life cycle of all documents. It corresponds to the moment in which it is decided if it has sufficient historical value to be conserved or on the contrary, it is destroyed.

Means

1. Darmouth College. (SF). The Document Life Cycle: Definitions, Supporting Technologies, and Applications. Recovered from: dartmouth.edu
2. González, L. (2015). Life cycle of documents: Theory of the 3 ages. Recovered from: bibliopos.es
3. Larrivee, B. (2013). What Is an Electronic Document Management Life Cycle? Recovered from: documentmedia.com
4. Rouse, M. (SF). Document lifecycle. Recovered from: whatis.techtarget.com
5. Yebra, M. (2016). Life cycle of documents - The Spanish archival system. Recovered from: normadat.es.