recordkeeping

American  

[rek-erd-kee-ping] / ˈrɛk ərdˌki pɪŋ /

noun

1. the maintenance of a history of one's activities, as financial dealings, by entering data in ledgers or journals, putting documents in files, etc.

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Usage

What does recordkeeping mean? Recordkeeping is the act of keeping track of the history of a person’s or organization’s activities, generally by creating and storing consistent, formal records. Recordkeeping is keeping records, or ”units of preserved information in some permanent form (written documents, photographs, recordings, etc.).” Record can also refer to a collection of such items or a history in general. Recordkeeping is typically used in the context of official accounting, especially for businesses or other organizations. Example: The company’s recordkeeping was very extensive, with each employee’s hiring, pay, and job performance thoroughly documented.

Etymology

Origin of recordkeeping

First recorded in 1960–65; record + keep + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

A handful of trial firms are leading the charge, specializing in cookie-cutter cases that claim operators aren’t administering plans for the “sole benefit” of workers—alleging excessive investment or recordkeeping fees, or deficient investment performance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

Attorneys for VAS, Pham and Do have denied any wrongdoing, and allege the organization was guilty only of sloppy recordkeeping.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2024

And, critically, the restructuring experts now in charge of FTX have had time to untangle what they describe as a recordkeeping catastrophe.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2024

Kraken was also accused of having deficient internal controls and inadequate recordkeeping, reflected in part in its commingling customer money with its own and paying operating costs directly from customer accounts.

From Reuters • Nov. 20, 2023

He wore them every day to work at the administrative offices where he was in charge of meticulous recordkeeping.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh