How-to: Create an Accession Record in ArchivesSpace

Quick, practical checklist and example to use at intake

1) Before You Start (Prep)

Have these ready before you open ArchivesSpace — it makes intake fast and auditable.

  • Complete the review of the ArchivesSpace Guide. 
  • Gather intake materials: deed/transfer paperwork, donor contact, box/folder counts, media list, condition notes. Upload all materials to the HARC SharePoint.
  • Decide accession number pattern (example: HARC_011_0000). Note the next available number.
  • Stage and label physical items with a temporary tag that includes the accession ID.

2) Create the Accession Record — Step by Step

  1. Log in → Create Accessions (or Add Accession).
  2. Fill the core fields (see next section). Save early - you can add richer metadata after creating the record.
  3. Upload donor agreement and inventories to the HARC Sharepoint.
  4. Once Accession record is created click on the 'Spawn' and click 'Resource'. This will create your Collection Resource Record automatically. 
Search results example in ArchivesSpace

 

3) Field-by-Field Guidance (➤ click each section below to expand)

Accession Identifier & Title
  • Title: Short descriptive title — e.g., Congregation of the Sisters of Oklahoma, 1970–1995.
  • Accession Identifier: Your canonical ID (e.g., HARC_011_0000). Keep pattern consistent.
  • Accession Date: Enter the accession date, if different than today's date (YYYY-MM-DD format).
  • Publish? Do NOT check.
  • Content Description: Enter a brief overview of what the accession contains, including genre/format information and information about activities, functions, events, etc. related to the creator that are documented within the accession.
  • Condition Description: Enter a brief overview of the physical and/or digital condition of the material, being sure to note any conservation/preservation issues.
  • Disposition: Record if any of the materials were removed from this accession into another collection.
  • Inventory: Record whether or not there is an inventory for this accession.
  • Provenance: Record if the collection is new, or an accrual/addition; also record the donor's name and contact information
  • General Note: Record who accessioned the material and any additional notes. If it is unknown who accessioned the material, record: "Accessioned by Walter P. Reuther Library Staff."
  • Acquisition Type: Select one: Deposit, Gift, Purchase, Renumber, Transfer
  • Resource Type: Select one: Collection, Papers, Publications, Records
  • Restrictions Apply? Check if there are ANY restrictions on the collection.
Search results example in ArchivesSpace

Click image to view search example in ArchivesSpace

Date, Agent(s) & Subjects See: Agent Guide

Date: Dates of the Collection (YYYY-MM-DD, or year if exact date unknown).

Extents: Use the Add Extent control. Typical units: linear feet, items, MB. Add multiple extent lines if needed.

Agent: Link or create an Agent (Person/Corporate) record for the donor so contact info is reusable. See Agent and Subject Guide for detailed instructions. 

Physical / Current Location: Where material is physically located (e.g., Quarantine Room — Shelf A).

Subjects: Created and/or selected for all resource records. A subject provides authoritative context about the collection. Use Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) or if the subject does not exist, create one following DACS. See Agents and Subject Guide for detailed instructions. 

Notes, Rights & Restrictions, Location of External Documents

Accessioning Note: Condition, sensitive content (FERPA, SSNs), immediate actions needed (conservation, rehousing).

Rights: Add rights statements or embargo dates. Attach signed deeds and label attachments clearly.

Standard Statement: All records created and maintained by HARC, including but not limited to official      minutes, newsletters, pastoral records, and committee reports, are the property of the congregation. The copyright to these materials is owned by HARC. The Archives is tasked with the collection, organization, preservation, and making available for research of these records, while also exercising discretion regarding the privacy of personal and confidential information, such as records of living individuals or ongoing legal matters.

Restrictions Apply: Toggle if there are access restrictions and summarize the reason.

External Documents: Add a note about what documents are available and add the link.

External Documents example in ArchivesSpace

Click image to view example in ArchivesSpace

Containers & Born-digital

Container summary: If you have box/folder inventory, paste a short container summary or create top containers and link them.

  • ALWAYS note the original box/folder/item location and ID in the notes. 

Born-digital: Note storage (HDD, drive label), file size, file types, and whether checksums were taken.

  • Born-digital materials will follow the rules of physical materials. Each component in Archivesspace will need an entry. 

4) Save + Attachments

  • Save the accession record after adding core metadata; attach scanned donor agreement(s) and inventory PDFs. Search results example in ArchivesSpace
  • If files are large, attach a manifest PDF and add an external storage URL in a note.
  • Label attachments clearly: e.g., HARC_001_0000 Finding Aid - Inventory - Bulk Uploads - EAD.
  • Save this PDF in the Collection folder on SharePoint. 
 

 

5) Post-Creation Actions (What to Do Next)

  • Physically label boxes/folders with accession ID and place a paper copy of the accession record in Box 1.
  • Create top containers and link them to the accession; when processed, create a Resource record and transfer containers as needed.
  • Retain accession paperwork for any future deaccession or rights questions.

6) Best Practices & Tips

  • Be conservative with access. 🚩Flag and restrict materials with FERPA/medical/SSNs.
  • Use consistent extent units: linear feet for manuscript boxes, items for small donations, MB/GB for digital.
  • Attach signed agreements ASAP — they are your legal record of transfer.
  • Document any changes ❗done during intake (re-housing, removal of non-archival items).
  • Link donors to Agent records to avoid duplicate person entries. See Agents and Subject Guide

7) Quick Accession Checklist

8) Example Accession Record (Sample Values)

Accession Identifier: HARC_001_0000_0000
Title: Accession: Sister Agnes Collection, 1950–2005
Accession Date: 2026-01-06
Extent: 6 linear feet; 3 oversize folders; 2.4 GB (born-digital)
Donor: Sisters of St. Agnes (Corporate Body) — contact: Sr. Mary Smith, sr.mary@cong.org
Physical Location: Staging Room — Shelf B (Box tags printed)
Accessioning Note: Received 6 boxes; Box 3 stained; contains student records for 1980–1985 (FERPA) — restricted. Oversize maps in Folder OS1.
Rights: Donor retains copyright. Some materials restricted until 2030.
Attachments: HARC-2026-001_deed_signed.pdf
Accessioned by: JA Pryse
Next: Resource Records →
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